Light Shaded Dream
by Tsumirei
Summary: A new mission awaits Sakura and her friends. Will this mission cause her breakdown, or will it spark something new?
1. Remembering

**Light Shaded Dream**

_Chapter 1 – Remembering_

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

-:-

The autumn breezes gently filtered through the air, showering Konoha with leaves and buds. Many ninja wandered through the streets, buying food in the markets, staring at the Kyuubi vessel gulping down his ramen at Ichiraku, walking with friends, or merely just _there._ Nighttime fell over the peaceful village, and the breezes continued to gently serenade the village to serenity. A pink-haired kunoichi, Haruno Sakura, student of the Godaime Tsunade, wandered down the streets of her village, weary from her day's work of healing patients at the hospital. She dragged her tired feet through the streets, cursing her long-hour shift.

_Why do I have the longest shift in the hospital! _

**_Hmm, maybe because you're a talented medic nin that goes off with the top ANBU squads for missions?_**

_Shut up._

Her conversation with her inner was interrupted when she heard the slurping of her former teammate, Naruto. She sighed in irritation, and walked over to him.

_Slurp! Slurp!_

"Naruto, do you have to be so _loud_ with your ramen?" She asked.

Her teammate looked at her with his innocent blue eyes, and gave her a goofy grin, some of the ramen's soup dripping from his mouth. She sighed, and shook her head.

"What am I going to do with you, Naruto..." She silently asked herself.

"Lighten up, Sakura-chan! I hear you're going on a mission tomorrow with the ANBU. Dontcha think that'd be pretty fun?" He asked.

She tensed up as she heard Naruto speak of her mission to her, while she silently nodded and laughed at the right moments. _My mission…_ She thought to herself.

"Eh, well, see you later, Sakura-chan!"

Naruto got up from his seat at Ichiraku, and began walking away, satisfied that he had gotten a chance to talk to Sakura. Sakura stared as her friend grew smaller and smaller in the distance, and she herself continued on her way home. She stopped momentarily to stare at the bare sakura trees, unable to hold back her flooding memories. Unable to control her legs, she moved towards a certain tree, a tree that, to her, held special and sorrowful memories. She sunk down and sat at its roots, closing her eyes, letting the autumn breeze gently move her...

**Flashback **

_"Sasuke-kun! Let's go—"_

"_No. You're annoying." _

_The heartthrob of Konoha, Uchiha Sasuke, began to walk away from Sakura. Sakura stood there, holding back the threatening tears in her eyes. She clenched her fists in anger; but a smile formed on her lips. Her palms began bleeding as her fingers dug into her skin, but she continued to smile. _

"_Sakura, you're bleeding." He said._

_She didn't hear him. She continued to let the warm blood drip from her skin and fall onto the roots of the beautiful tree, staining its bark with her sullen blood. Her smile remained on her face._

"_Sakura, you look like an idiot smiling and bleeding," He said._

_She didn't hear him once more. Her anger grew into rage, and her fingers continued to dig into her palm. She laughed to herself, and brought her hand up to her heart. Her hand unrolled, and she pushed her palm over her shirt. Blood stained her shirt and bled down to her skin, rolling down her body._

"_My heart bleeds, Sasuke-kun," She said._

_The boy just stares at her, holding back his emotions and keeping his emotionless face, unable to bring himself to say anything to her. Sakura then realized what she was doing, and stared at her bleeding palm._

"_Oh my...did I say anything, Sasuke-kun? Why am I...bleeding?" _

_She looked up at her crush, back down at her palm, and then saw her shirt stained with blood. She felt the liquid crawling down her leg, and shivered at its warm touch._

"_Sasuke-kun, did I do something? Did you make me bleed?" _

_Her mind was unaware of what had happened to her. While her rage had taken over her, she had gotten paranoid, seemingly pulled into a trance that had acted upon her bottled up emotions. Her heart and mind was telling her that something was wrong, but the two didn't mean the same thing. Her mind was telling her she was bleeding and that she would die if she couldn't stop it, but her heart was telling her it was bleeding, that Sasuke was just a heartthrob full of ice, and that he was worth nothing, but that he was also worth everything. Sakura was plunged into emotional confusion._

"_Sakura. Sakura?" He called._

_His voice trailed off through her ears, and she fell to the cold ground, her smile still gracing her lips._

**End Flashback**

Sakura's eyes opened slowly, tears rolling down her eyes. She stared at the tree's roots, and found where the blood had hit. She held the invisible stain, and closed her eyes in pain. Everything about this tree brought pain to her. Bringing her palm to her heart, she quietly sobbed, the breeze carrying her tears as far away from her as they could. She smiled through her sobbing, remembering the very words of her that night.

"_My heart bleeds, Sasuke-kun..."_

She stared at the emptiness before her, the moonlight hitting her tearstained face. She felt coldness encompass her, and she felt like she had fallen into an abyss, a never-ending abyss, filled with darkness. She was alone, her heart crying out in pain as her world turned colder and colder. Sakura's emerald eyes glistened as the moonlight hit them, and they stopped shining as they normally would. Loneliness overtook her body and mind, and she was unable to rid _him_ from her memory. _My new mission basically is suicide..._

She got up from her spot, and made her way back home, ignoring the questioning stares that villagers gave her. She made it to her house, packing her things for her upcoming mission tomorrow. _My mission is suicide...why...do I have to see **him** again? Why do I have to bring him back? _

Her empty eyes stared at picture before her. Team 7. She ran her fingers over the delicate glass protecting her possession, and smiled. _Just like the old days, ne?_ She carefully put it into her bag. She looked around the room to make sure she had forgotten nothing, and her eyes caught something else. A cherry blossom, withered away on her dresser. It had long withered away from its beauty; petals brown and dull. However, she kept it with her, always. It was a parting gift to her, from the man she had grown to love. Sure, he had left her for power, but she could not deny her heart's crying of his name; she could not deny _him._ She slowly walked over to the dresser, and gently touched its dead petals, and she _remembered._

**Flashback **

_Her mind did not know where her body was taking her. She just blindly followed herself until she reached the gates. There she found her crush – her love, with his back turned to her, ready to part. She ran to him, and he turned around. She found the surprise in his eyes, and realized that something was wrong. She did everything she could do to stop him, but to no avail. His eyes searched her one last time, and he reappeared behind her._

"_Thank you," He muttered._

_He hit her; knocked her senseless. He placed her on a bench, where she lay there, 'slumbering' peacefully like the angel he thought she was. He held a cherry blossom in his hand; he kept this blossom with him always. He kissed its petals and placed it in her palm, and closed her hand, making sure she did not lose the blossom. He turned and left, leaving his precious blossom behind._

**End Flashback**

Sakura looked at the delicate flower in her hand, and smiled. She had never known where it had come from, but deep inside, her heart was telling her it was part of the one she dearly loved. She had since followed her heart, and there she was, holding the delicate flower in her palm. Putting it back to its place on the dresser, she changed into her nightclothes, and went to bed, resting for the mission that lay ahead of her.

-:-

Sunlight penetrated through Sakura's windows. The kunoichi awoke, and hurriedly got out of bed to get ready for her mission that would start today. She ate a quick breakfast of instant ramen, and gathered her things and left her home. Her ANBU team would meet up with her at the gates, as they always did. She knew that this mission would consist of not only her squad, but others as well. Sakura had tried arguing with Tsunade otherwise; that Konoha would be in grave danger if these specific people left, but Tsunade merely laughed at her statement, and reassured her that she still had Hatake Kakashi, Sakura's former sensei, Maito Gai, the pervert Jiraiya, and many other skilled chuunin and jounin. Sakura gave in, and left. She found herself at the gates, and found many other members of the mission waiting there. Among them were her friends Yamanaka Ino, Hyuuga Hinata and Neji, Tenten, and Nara Shikamaru. She smiled and waved to them as she got closer and closer. They were all in ANBU attire, their masks hanging off their necks.

"Hey, forehead-girl! Are you completely psyched about this mission? I mean... we get to bring back—mmphh!" A blonde haired girl said, but was interrupted by the lazy genius.

"Troublesome...Ino, shut up!" The genius told the blonde.

"Shikamaru, but-..."

His hand clamped over her over mouth once again interrupted her. He turned his back to Sakura, and faced Ino.

"This topic isn't something you can yell right at Sakura, Ino," He hissed in her ear.

Ino just pouted at him, and agreed. She knew what she was going to say would bring even more heartache to her best friend. Shikamaru turned away from her, and resumed his laziness. Tenten ran up to Sakura and hugged her. Her chocolate eyes noticed Sakura's empty emerald ones, but decided to leave _that _conversation topic for when they broke camp later.

"Hiya, Sakura!" Tenten said.

Sakura smiled at her friend's antics.

"Hi, Tenten," She replied.

The two began conversing, and the two Hyuugas looked at them in awe.

"It's amazing how Tenten can make Sakura look so perky," The prodigy, Hyuuga Neji, observed.

His cousin looked at him, and laughed. He glared at her, questioning her.

"She's not happy, Neji-nii-san. Her eyes are empty," Hinata said.

Hinata, like Tenten, also noticed the absent glisten in Sakura's eyes. Hinata had long stopped stuttering after she had gained enough confidence and courage to speak to Naruto clearly. But, as always, Naruto was still dense and hadn't realized Hinata's feelings for him.

"Hn."

"SORRY I'M LATE EVERYONE!"

Everyone turned around, veins popping out of their foreheads.

"WHY ARE YOU SO LATE!" Ino, Sakura, and Tenten yelled.

He rubbed his forehead, and gave them his trademark smile.

"Who cares, let's start this mission already...you are all so troublesome..." Shikamaru said.

They all agreed to this, and put on their masks, and set off to accomplish their mission. Sakura silently followed them, and was lost in thought.

_Is it time yet, Sasuke-kun?_

-:-

Hope you like my new story, everyone. A new idea popped into my head...xD Hope you liked the first chapter :D


	2. Nightmare

**Light Shaded Dream**

_Chapter 2 – Nightmare_

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

-:-

The ANBU squad from Konoha jumped from tree to tree, silently cutting through air as they made their way to their destination. Even Naruto, the loudest one of them all, and Ino, the bossiest one, remained quiet. They had their common sense on their missions; noise could give away their position and get themselves into an unwanted battle with the enemy. Shikamaru and Neji led the way, followed by Ino and Tenten, while Sakura, Naruto, and Hinata held the rear. Hinata and Neji were scanning the area with their Byakugan, while Tenten had her weapons at the ready if needed. The day was quickly withering away as nighttime neared. Hinata and Neji chose a spot in a small forest clearing surrounded by dense forest, almost positive that nobody could attack them without one of them noticing first. They made camp, and made a small fire to cook their food. Shikamaru and Ino were arguing their hearts out, Naruto and Hinata were talking about the best and worst kinds of ramen, and Neji and Tenten were speaking of weapons. Sakura watched her friends enjoy each other's presence, and she sat alone, away from the rest of them.

_I don't get it. Why did Tsunade-sama have to send me on **this** mission? I mean, sure, it's probably an S-ranked mission, and someone is bound to get hurt and needs my medical skills. But still...I hate him. I don't want to see him. Not **now!**_

_**Don't lie. You love him. You want to see him so bad. You wouldn't even care if he killed you.**_

_Shut up. _

_**Don't deny yourself. You loveee him. You want him.**_

_You're annoying! Shut up! _

_**I'm your inner, of course I'm annoying.**_

_Oh...Well, for your information, I don't love him, I hate him. _

_**Don't deny it, you miss him.**_

_YOU---_

"HELLOO? Earth to Sakura? Hellooo?" Tenten yelled, waving her hand in front of her teammate's face.

Sakura snapped back to reality after her argument with her inner, and she smiled to reassure her teammate.

"Oh, I'm sorry Tenten! I guess I was over thinking," She said.

Tenten took a seat next to her, and had her eyes on Neji fuming over Naruto talking to his cousin. Sakura looked at her, confused on why she would want to talk to her. She followed Tenten's gaze to Neji, and smiled.

"Sakura, is something wrong?" Tenten asked, changing her gaze from Neji to Sakura.

Sakura looked bewildered. She had faked happiness so well. How did Tenten know?

"What are you talking about, Tenten?" She asked, keeping her calm.

Tenten looked into Sakura's eyes, and frowned. She sighed, and looked away, her gaze shifting to Neji once more.

"Don't act like you fake everything so well, Sakura. If I can see through Neji's wall of ice, I can definitely see through your wall of faking. So, Sakura? What happened?"

"I...don't know," Sakura said, giving in.

She knew her friend's ability to see through deception.

"Yes, you do know. What happened Sakura?"

"Memories."

"Of Sasuke, right?"

Sakura nodded, her eyes staring at the ground.

"Ah. Do you still love him, Sakura?"

"..."

"I see. You must be lonely...I'm sorry for bringing this up Sakura. I remember when I was...just like you. I lost my family, I had no surname...it was horrible. I didn't understand it at all. Then, I met Neji, then...well...I guess I wasn't as lonely as before, but I was still lonely. And when he left on that long mission...do you remember how ridiculously depressed I was? It was crazy. Is that why you lost the glisten in your emerald eyes? Because you acknowledged your loneliness?"

Tenten had hit the mark. Sakura was unable to bring herself to say anything else, and merely just nodded, fighting hard to keep back her tears.

"Don't hold in your tears, Sakura. Everyone has to cry," She said.

Tenten gave Sakura her best smile, gave her a hug, and got up, deciding that Sakura needed her time alone. She walked away, forming evil plots on how to get Neji.

"_...Everyone has to cry..."_

**Flashback **

"_Sasuke-kun! I don't get it! Why are you always an emotionless **heartthrob**?" Sakura asked, following her crush._

_Her crush stopped for a minute, cooling down his rage, and continued walking. He paid no attention to her ranting. _

"_Sasuke-kun! I don't get it. Don't you have to cry? Even if you have nothing to cry for, don't you cry for your clan? Your memories?" _

_Sasuke stopped, and turned around to face her. He gave her his coldest glare, clenching his fists, doing the best he could do not to kill her._

"_I mean, everyone has to cry...you'll never live bottling up your emotions all the time! It'll just keep building up, until you have a breakdown!"_

_Sasuke continued glaring at her, and through clenched teeth, managed to speak to her._

"_Crying is a sign of weakness. It makes you weak. I never show emotion because a ninja should never show their emotions. It shows weakness. I hate being weak," He said._

"_But Sasuke-kun, you're not..." She stopped, seeing that he turned and began walking after he had finished his statement._

"_But you're not weak..." She whispered to herself._

_She took one last look at him, and turned around, heading home._

**End Flashback **

Sakura looked at her friends, living their lives to the fullest, and she smiled her first real smile in so many years. She thanked Tenten, and continued watching. Ino and Shikamaru were having an argument about something, and Ino ended up hitting Shikamaru. Naruto was making Hinata laugh, and Hinata ended up turning tomato red when Naruto accidentally held her hand. It's not like either of them let go, though. Tenten was holding back Neji from unleashing his fury on Naruto for making a move on his cousin, and was eventually cooled down when Tenten did the inevitable. She kissed Neji!

"Tenten, what was that for! I'm trying to protect my _cousin_ if you haven't realized!" Neji yelled.

Tenten tried her best to keep hold of the boy; his body held much more strength than she possessed. She leaned over, and kissed him. They broke apart, both blushing like there was no tomorrow.

"Sorry, you were going _crazy_ overprotective..." She said.

He smirked at her, and nothing else was said between the two. Not like anything else had to be said...at the moment.

Sakura was laughing her butt off, seeing Tenten and Neji blush the way they did. But she silently congratulated them, knowing that their love would soon blossom into something more. In ways, she envied their blossoming love. She longed that Sasuke had never left Konoha; she wished that he had never left _her_. But she accepted that leaving was part of his destiny, and that destiny was inevitable. However, her being herself, her emotions soon got bottled up inside, and she was no longer to emit the same happiness she was able to before he had left Konoha. She grew stronger and became one of the top ninja in the village, along with Naruto, Shikamaru, Neji, Hinata, Ino, and Tenten.

"Sakura, it is time to sleep. I suggest you get some rest. Tenten said that she'd take over your watch. I'll be having the first watch with her. You'll need sleep. We'll be hitting it hard tomorrow," A voice said.

Sakura looked up, and found herself staring into Neji's Byakugan eyes. She nodded, and began walking to the makeshift shelter they had made themselves. She thanked Neji, who nodded in reply, and lie down on a mattress of leaves, closing her eyes and dozing off into a deep slumber.

Tenten and Neji sat on opposite sides of the camp, making the possibility of enemy ninja passing them lower. Tenten looked over to her teammate, asking him something in her eyes. He understood, and nodded. She got up, and quickly did hand seals, casting a protection jutsu over the camp. This ensured that no ninja could get out or get in. Tenten moved to where the campfire once lay, and began to look up at the stars. Neji, after several moments of hesitation and battle with his conscience, joined her.

"Neji, do you...feel sorry for Sakura?" Tenten asked, whispering.

Neji looked up at the stars above him, and closed his eyes. He was still alert, but he needed to rest them for a few minutes.

"Hn."

Tenten frowned, and sighed.

"Neji, I know that a ninja must not show emotion...but..."

Neji opened his eyes, and peeked at her from the corner of his eyes. He took a deep breath, and sighed.

"Yes, Tenten. I feel sorry for her. She is like a caged bird..."

"How so? Aren't you a caged bird?"

"Sakura is lost within herself. Her emotions confuse her. She is probably torn from hating or loving Sasuke. However, it is possible that she both loves _and_ hates him, which is understandable. But she no longer shows the same side of her as we see it. She is constantly training and working hard. I suppose she remembers when Sasuke called her weak."

Tenten was surprised that Neji had opened up and actually gave his opinion for the matter. She looked at him, and sat up.

"I don't understand her. She is chasing for something she may never acquire."

"She has her reasons to, Tenten."

"But I don't...understand."

Tenten's eyes began to water, but she quickly shook them away.

"One doesn't _have_ to understand why they do things, Tenten. Sometimes, it is merely the mind and heart working on their own, regardless of their owner's will."

The two remained silent afterwards; everything that had to be said was said.

-:-

Sakura lay on her leaf mattress, a dream clouding over her mind.

**-:- Dream Sequence: Sakura's POV -:-**

_Why am I always running? Running into this deep abyss of darkness. I don't understand it. I'm running for something. But what am I running for? Where am I going?_

_I continued running, running in this emptiness. Then, I saw a figure. I noticed the shape of its silhouette, and I stopped. I stopped in pain, I stopped in surprise. I was not running for this traitor. He was not the reason for my efforts._

"_Sakura." _

_I screamed bloody murder in my mind._

"_No."_

"_Sakura."_

_My heart was wailing for me to just leap into his arms, leap into my eternal bliss._

"_No."_

_But I knew that leaping into his arms would bring the death of me. No. He was not worth it._

"_Sakura."_

_He was not worth anything._

"_No."_

_My mind was screaming for a release. I didn't want to be stuck here with him. I'd rather be stuck here with a bloody murderer. ...Wait, wasn't **he** a bloody murderer?_

"_Sakura."_

_This was it. I couldn't take it anymore. _

"_Get away from me! I hate you!" _

_Sakura? Sakura! Wake up! Sakura!_

**-:- End Dream Sequence / Normal POV -:-**

Sakura awoke in the middle of the night, finding herself upright and sweat rolling down her face. She found Ino looking at her with worry, and Shikamaru staying in position.

"Forehead-girl! Are you okay? You were screaming bloody murder..." She asked, concern drifting out of her voice.

"Y-yes, Ino-pig. I-I'm fine. Just a bad dream..."

"Sounded more like a nightmare. You should get some rest, later on is going to be a long day," She said.

She gave her best friend a reassuring smile, and Sakura obliged.

"Ino, what time is it?"

Ino looked clueless, and turned to Shikamaru. He looked up at the moon, and gave Ino a number. She nodded, smiled in thanks, and turned back to Sakura.

"Shikamaru said it's around midnight. Get some rest now- don't worry. We're all here for you."

Sakura nodded, and lay back down. She closed her eyes, and heard Ino walking away from her. She silently thanked all of her friends for having her back, and drifted off into an uninterrupted slumber.

_It was just a light shaded dream...It was just a dream..._

"_...don't worry, we're all here for you..."_

_Just another dream..._

-:-


	3. Beginning

**Light Shaded Dream**

_Chapter 3 – Beginning_

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

-:-

Sakura was woken by Hinata early the next morning. The other members of the mission had already packed up the camp and made sure that no traces of them being there were left. She noticed they had let her sleep in longer than the others; she was grateful. She noticed that many of them avoided talking to her - understandable due to the ranking of the mission, but misunderstood due to their close friendship. She quickly got ready and put on her mask. They were on their way. Little did they know, that they had left Sakura's mattress scattered around the area - a sure but quiet sign of their existence.

-:-

A man with raven colored hair and onyx eyes walked into a forest clearing. Around him was dense forest; but this clearing was well hidden to the world. He scanned the area, and noticed the disturbance in the ground and around the air. He held his head up high, and began to inhale the air. _People have been here_, he thought to himself. Noises behind him made him quickly turn around, and faced one of his "comrades".

"People were here," He gruffly said.

"Know how many?" His comrade asked him, readjusting the position of his glasses on his face.

"Looks like a complete ANBU squad. Looks like one didn't do a great job of cleaning up this makeshift mattress. Seems like...it's been...roughly three hours since they have been here," He said.

His comrade scanned the area, and smirked.

"Probably another one of Konoha's attempts to get you."

The onyx-eyed man glared at his comrade and turned away from the clearing.

"Those ninja won't leave me _alone_," He said, irritation flowing through his voice.

"You expect their last _Uchiha_ to be let off so _easily_? You know very well that your clan is one the strongest, along with the Hyuuga. You being the last they have, they probably want the Sharingan to strengthen their forces."

The man glared at his comrade, and his comrade quickly backed off. The man's onyx orbs glistened with unimaginable anger, hate, confusion, and sorrow, and his comrade saw this and found the flaw of his statements.

"_That makes them no different than Orochimaru_," He hissed.

His comrade stared at him, and shook his head.

"Betray Lord Orochimaru, and I'm _sure_ you'll get your freedom," His comrade mocked.

"_Maybe I will_," He hissed back.

The man began to walk back to where he came, his comrade slowly following. _I better warn Lord Orochimaru of Sasuke's attempts..._ His comrade thought. The man turned around and faced him, and smirked.

"Go ahead, tell Orochimaru that I _might_ betray him...sooner or later, he'll bring it upon _himself_ if his death is due to me, _Kabuto_."

"Watch it, Sasuke..." Kabuto said, closely eyeing Sasuke.

"Hn. You as well."

Their anger flared within them the whole way back.

-:-

The Konoha ANBU squad perched at the edge of the forest, looking again and again at the same spot, making sure that they were not looking at a hallucination. Neji and Hinata both had their Byakugan activated, making sure that no enemies could sneak up on them while they were distracted.

"I don't see him anywhere," Hinata said.

Everyone turned to face Neji, who nodded in agreement with Hinata's statement. The two continued to search, while the others pondered about how it was possible.

"He's not there? But that's definitely Sound. Can you two sense Orochimaru?" Shikamaru asked.

Everyone remained silent while the two concentrated hard on finding their targets.

"Yes, I see him," Hinata said.

"Agreed."

The squad looked at each other, and nodded.

"Is it time to undergo our transformation?" Tenten asked.

Everyone nodded, and did a special jutsu that changed their appearances. Tsunade had taught them this technique since it would prove to be helpful due to its minimal chakra absorption. Naruto's hair stayed up and spiky, but had turned black in the process. Shikamaru's appearance did not change, Hinata and Neji's eyes became onyx colored (but they could still use their Byakugan), Ino's hair turned black and stayed down, and Tenten's hair turned into a darker shade and flowed past her shoulders. Sakura's appearance, however, was the most changed. Her hair was short and black, her eyes a deep shade of onyx. All wore the typical Sound clothing - grey with cow attire (socks, gloves, collars, scarves). They hid their Konoha headbands, and wore nothing to protect their foreheads; Neji's curse mark was covered due to the jutsu.

"Wow, Sakura, he wouldn't be able to recognize you," Ino said, looking over her friend.

"Good, I don't want him to," Sakura said.

Everyone remained silent and entered the village, surprisingly not halted by the ANBU.

-:-

"Lord Orochimaru, sir, new villagers have been sighted. However, we are unfamiliar with them, but are wearing our clothing. No headbands from any other villages, however they are equipped with scrolls, kunai, senbon, shuriken..."

"Is that so...put them under _close_ observation. They may be Konoha ANBU...scratch that, they _are_ Konoha ANBU. Do _not_ let them run-in with Sasuke..."

"Yes sir. However, they are not recognized to be Konoha ninja, they have not been seen before."

"They may be using a jutsu my dear old _friend_ Tsunade taught them...she _does_ specialize in beauty jutsu..."

"Understood."

Orochimaru's pawn disappeared before him, and he was left thinking to himself, maniacally laughing his head off.

"Sasuke, Sasuke. How amusing _this_ time around will be!"

-:-

The squad had found an inn to stay in, and decided to each monitor a certain section of the village to reduce the chances of them missing Sasuke. They split up in groups; Neji and Tenten, Shikamaru and Ino, Hinata and Naruto, and Sakura. Sakura had pleaded them to let her monitor alone; she was positive she could handle it. With huge persuasion, they allowed her, and had gone their separate ways.

Sakura's section where the outskirts of the village, basically the forest outside the gates. She silently walked around the forest; knowing Sasuke's habits very well. She knew he would be training _somewhere_, just...where?

_Thwack! Thwack!_

Sakura heard constant hits on a trunk, and took a deep breath. She followed the sound, and found herself watching a man with dark spiky hair throw kicks and punches at the stationery tree. She hid behind a tree, still watching him. _He hasn't changed_, she thought. The man turned around, sensing her chakra presence.

"Who's there?" He asked.

_Shit..._ Sakura took a deep breath, and stepped out.

"Only me."

"Your chakra levels and voice seem familiar. Do I know you from somewhere? You aren't a _fan girl_ from the village, are you?" He asked, narrowing his eyes.

_So he still remembers me, huh?_

"No, I'm new to your village. I was only taking a stroll in the forest when it was interrupted by your constant _pounding_."

"Hn. I'm trying to _train._ So leave, you're annoying."

Sakura winced as the words annoying reached her ears, but hid her emotions with a smirk.

"You'll need more _training,_ then."

With that, she turned around, and left. When Sasuke was sure she was going back to the village, he stopped momentarily and wiped his sweat.

"Hn, she's _familiar _somehow..."

He smirked to himself, and resumed his training.

-:-

The day soon ended, and the squad was back at the inn. Sakura decided to keep the incident to herself, but wasn't sure how long it would be until one of the girls would figure out something had happened.

"If our names are asked, do not give out last names. Just the first names...but if they are extremely persistent, improvise and make one up," Neji said.

Everyone nodded. The Hyuuga clan was well known, and it was possible their cover could be blown if any of the Sound villagers knew of them.

"Talk about a _boring_ day! It was even _worse _than sitting with Shikamaru watching _clouds_!" Ino said, irritated that they had yet to make progress on their mission.

"Ino, use your common _sense_, will you? We've only been here for a _day_. Like anyone could find _Sasuke_ at the snap of their fingers! Man, you are so troublesome..." Shikamaru said, rubbing his temples in irritation.

"Well sorry, Mr. Lazy-assed genius!" Ino yelled, her anger losing control.

"Ino, just calm down, don't worry, we'll find him!" Hinata said, putting a hand on Ino's shoulder.

Ino still fumed, but discontinued her threat to kill Shikamaru.

"Reports," Neji said.

"We didn't find anything. But we found a ramen stand! I can't _wait_ to try them out!" Naruto said, excitement obvious.

Neji nodded, and turned to Sakura. He did not need a mission report from Ino and Shikamaru, since Ino was irritated already due to the day's boredom. Sakura didn't notice this, and continued to stare out of the inn's window.

"Sakura? Helllooo? Sakura? Zoning out _again_? Come _on_!" Tenten said, waving her hand in front of Sakura's face.

Sakura still hadn't noticed this, and Tenten left and let Ino handle the situation. Ino poked Sakura's forehead (which wasn't as large anymore since she had grown into it), and leant down to eye level.

"FOREHEAD GIRL! GET OUT OF LALA LAND AND GIVE US THE REPORT!"

Sakura turned and saw a _very_ pissed off Ino, and questioning stares from Naruto, Shikamaru, Neji, Hinata, and Tenten.

"Huh...oh...nothing happened today," Sakura said.

She hated lying to her friends all the time. But this was _her_ problem; _her _living nightmare. She wouldn't let anyone else get involved; she could never hold her head up high and call herself the top medic nin in all of Konoha if she got others involved in her little problem. Sakura noticed Tenten and Hinata ushering the others out, yes, _including_ Ino due to her still fuming rage, and saw them come back to her and sit next to her.

"You're lying, Sakura," Hinata said.

"Yeah, Sakura. You're getting..._emotionless_," Tenten said.

Sakura stared at them wide-eyed, and sighed.

"Fine, I will tell you what's wrong with me, but you will _swear _you will not tell anyone _else_ about this! Not even _Ino!_ She's my best friend, but you can tell her _later_. Her fuming temper won't help us, not right now," Sakura said.

The two looked at her with eyes as big as plates, and nodded.

"I'm sure both of you understand my confusion about Sasuke...I love him, but then I _hate_ him. My love for him will probably overpower my hate, but that's only guessing in the near future. I realize that you guys have noticed my eyes have become a dull emerald. It is because, on the night before this mission was started, I sat under the cherry blossom tree where I had so many memories of him...and I realized how much I missed him, how much I _needed_ him. I zone out a lot now, because well...I'm thinking, that's all. Today on my 'patrol', I saw him. We had a cold conversation with each other," She said.

"Did he recognize you?" Tenten asked.

"No, but he recognized my chakra levels. And he still called me annoying..."

"You know he didn't mean it when he called you annoying before, Sakura," Hinata said.

Hinata and Tenten gave Sakura comforting smiles, and hugged her. They then walked out of the room to leave Sakura alone.

"Can we go back in _yet_, Shikamaru! I'm _tired_!" Ino whined.

"Troublesome..." Shikamaru said, muttering under his breath.

"_WHAT WAS THAT!_" Ino screamed.

Hinata and Tenten softly closed the door behind them, and Ino gave them pleading eyes. They shook their heads.

"No, she needs time alone," Tenten said.

Ino understood. Naruto and Hinata went off to try out the ramen stand, Shikamaru and Ino went outside to cloud watch, and Neji and Tenten left to spar.

Sakura continued to gaze out of her window, when she saw a figure walk by down the streets. He seemed to notice someone looking at him, and saw her. Her habits kicked inn, and she quickly ran out to greet him.

"Sasuke?" She called, running out of the inn.

She found him, still staring at the window. _Damn...that girl...she reminds me of someone..._He thought to himself. His trail of thought was interrupted when he heard the girl's familiar voice.

"Oh, it's _you_. How did you know my name?"

He looked at Sakura suspiciously, and Sakura gasped. She forgot she was in disguise.

-:-

Thanks for reading! I'm really sorry these chapters aren't all that pleasing yet, but the next chapter will be better. Maybe some SasukeSakura bonding. :D Also, I wasn't exactly sure what the Sound village looked like...so...xD;


	4. Payment

**Light Shaded Dream**

_Chapter 4 – Payment_

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

-:-

Sakura remained silent, dumbfounded by how stupid she was to rush out and just call out his name.

"I'll say it again..._how do you know my name_?" Sasuke hissed.

Sakura took a deep breath, and began lying.

"You're well-known in _my_ village. That's it, you arrogant jerk," She calmly replied.

Sasuke continued to stare at her suspiciously. Something about her chakra levels and her voice made him think of someone he knew so many years ago.

"And what village is _that_, you annoying girl?" He asked.

Sakura remained silent, unable to think of an excuse for that one.

"I'm unable to tell you that information."

"Hn. If you're a Konoha ANBU in disguise, you're doing a pretty bad job at it," He said.

Sakura stopped herself from releasing her anger, and her eyes stayed fixed on the boy.

"Who are you, _really_? You seem so..._familiar_...it's _irritating_ me," He said.

He ran his fingers through his hair, and stared at the girl in front of him. The girl didn't move, so he continued his way back to wherever he was headed.

"Stay out of my way, _annoying girl_," He hissed, before walking completely out of sight.

Sakura remained where she was, unable to yell an insult back at him. She regained her composure, and ran back to the inn, slamming her door shut. Her jutsu began to wear off as her emotions began flowing out of her.

"N-no...I...have to stay...cold and emotionless...or else...the jutsu...w-will...wear off..." She said.

Her tears began to flow down her face, staining her calm and elegant features. She ran to the bed and plopped onto the mattress, sticking her head in the pillow, letting the tears flow, her sobbing muffled by the sheets. She kept yelling, "I hate you, I hate you!" into the pillow, unable to swallow up her bottled up emotions.

"I can't take this anymore!" She yelled.

Just at that moment, the others had returned from their night adventures, and opened the door, finding a broken Sakura sobbing on the bed. Ino, Tenten, and Hinata rushed to her side, beginning a series of comforting. The boys knew better than to get into the matter, and just sat together talking about weapons and techniques.

"Hush, Sakura, it's okay. Don't worry about it, we're all here for you..." Ino said, rubbing Sakura's back.

"Yeah! Cheer up! I'll even let you...uh...torture Neji!" Tenten happily said.

Neji gave Tenten a glare, and Tenten helplessly shrugged her shoulders, resuming her duties as a best friend.

"Sakura, who did this to you?" Hinata asked, in a quiet voice.

Sakura looked up from her pillow momentarily; her eyes bloodshot and sticky from her tears.

"_I hate him_," She said.

Everyone in the room winced at the malice present in her voice, and felt sympathetic for her.

"It's okay, Sakura. Don't worry now...we'll bring him back, and after that, you won't _ever_ have to talk to him anymore, don't worry," Ino said.

Sakura had not been able to process these words, as thinking about bringing him back gave her an even bigger heartache, and resumed stuffing her face in the pillow. Naruto, seeing the situation worsen, got up, and began making his way to the broken girl. The girls gave him stares that told him 'Mess-this-up-and-we-will-kill-you-and-your-ramen', and he smiled at them. He sat down next to Sakura, and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Sakura...if _he_ did this to you, than is he really worth crying for? Is he worth your time?" Naruto asked.

Sakura looked at him, thinking to herself. She mentally thanked him for being like a brother to her, and shook her head.

"No..."

"If you really love him, Sakura, you might have to do some thinking...he's not worth it, Sakura. He's not worth _you_. You deserve someone...so much better than a cold-blooded murderer like _him_, Sakura. You don't deserve living with a heartache."

The girls looked at Naruto, relieved he had been able to calm her down. Sakura gave Naruto her first genuine smile in so many years, and wiped away her tears. Naruto nodded to her, and walked back to the boys. Everyone was relieved that Naruto had known Sakura almost as well as Ino did, and was able to stop her from doing the unimaginable.

"You're...r-right...N-Naruto...thanks..."

Naruto smiled at her, and gave her a thumbs-up.

"No problem, Sakura-chan!"

-:-

The days in the Sound Village went by quickly. Their progress had gotten nowhere, but they were directly ordered by Tsunade that they were not permitted to return until they had brought him back; that is of course, if none of the members have been fatally injured, or there was such an emergency that they were forced to flee back. Sakura continued her patrol, even though she would never near Sasuke again. Neji and Tenten took close observations of the villagers and their daily habits, Ino and Shikamaru paid close attention to the ANBU squads, and Hinata and Naruto befriended the kind villagers. Sakura's experience at the village was not so great; she had developed fan boys as soon as she stepped out of the inn, and hated having them follow her around. _Now I know how Sasuke felt..._She thought, every time she was forced on the run.

Sakura perched on a tree branch in the middle of the forest, quietly taken in the calm environment. She knew where Sasuke was; she could feel his strong chakra from where she was perching. But she dared not near him in fear of losing her control of her jutsu, so she had grown accustomed to ignoring the sounds from his training. She hoped that he could not sense _her_ chakra, since she had lowered it just to stay hidden. She was lost in thought, thinking about the days of Konoha...

_I don't understand this! I can't take it. Why **him**? Him of all people! Why was he the one that destiny has chosen for me; the one that I was fated to fall in love with? I don't understand this; I don't know how much longer I can keep this up! Thinking back on the days, I realize that I was a huge nuisance; it's no wonder why I was always **weak**. But...he was so cold to me, back at the inn. He was...different. Those bimbos that didn't even **deserve** to look at Sasuke didn't understand him like I did. They liked him for his looks - his mysterious onyx eyes, his intriguing, well-toned body, and his strength. They didn't care at **all** that he was a cold-hearted, arrogant jerk! But...something about **him** dove into my skin, my **heart**. I knew that behind his nearly impenetrable wall of ice, I knew that behind that was a heart of kindness and warmth, locked away by the sorrowful events of his childhood. I don't blame him for being so cold-hearted and arrogant; his childhood was so traumatic I'm surprised he's even able to acknowledge someone's presence. No, he was just a bird with clipped wings that was unable to fly. He was locked inside..._

"I thought I told you to stay away," A voice hissed.

Sakura was knocked back into reality as a voice drifted through her ears, and she jumped up in shock.

"I _did_ stay away. I didn't bother you in training, did I?" She asked, irritation flooding out of her voice.

"But here you are."

"I didn't bother you, so just go back training for power for—..." Sakura stopped herself, almost giving away her cover.

"For _what_?" Sasuke asked, curiosity and anger slipping out of his voice.

This girl knew more about him than anyone else in the village. Her familiarity with him was eerie.

"..."

Before Sakura knew what hit her, she was plunged to the ground and slammed against a tree trunk.

"You are _not_ new to my village...not _this_ village," Sasuke hissed.

Sakura got up, her body jolting in pain from the enormous force exerted on her. She still remained silent, and Sasuke slammed her right back at the tree.

"Who are you?" He yelled.

Sakura's body slumped to the ground, her knees supporting her abused body. Her shirt was flowing with blood, and she felt the warm liquid dripping down her back and onto her legs.

"Tell.Me.Who.You.Are!" Sasuke yelled.

His self-control was leaving him. He kept slamming Sakura into the tree, and Sakura still remained silent. His anger was driving him insane.

"Shut up...for once in your life Sasuke...and let me explain..." Sakura said.

This time pools of her blood formed over the grass stained her body with blood all over, and she still managed to smile at him.

"He was right and wrong at the same time..." She whispered to herself.

Sasuke heard this, but refrained himself from killing her.

"He was right that I needed to think this over, but he was wrong about _you,_" She whispered through breaths.

"That doesn't answer my question," Sasuke said.

"I wasn't done yet, Uchiha!" She yelled.

Sasuke froze. He _knew_ that nobody in the Sound Village knew of his last name. He was simply known around there as 'Orochimaru's Pawn', or 'Sharingan Eye'. But _nobody_ there knew of his last name, other than Orochimaru and Kabuto. Sakura looked at him, and pulled out a bloodied cherry blossom from her pocket. By now, the petals were weak and torn due to the force of being slammed against the trunk, but some were still connected together.

"Does...this look _familiar_ to you, Uchiha?" She asked.

Sasuke looked at it, and winced in pain. He remembered. He remembered _perfectly_ now.

"Why the hell are you _here,_ Sakura? And why are you _disguised_?" He asked.

Sakura laughed, and shook her head.

"No, Uchiha. Why are _you_ here? Why aren't you in _Konoha_?" She asked him.

"...Power."

"Selfish jerk! Isn't it obvious? We were sent here to bring you _back_. After many of the ANBU squads failed to bring you back, and even _failed_ to come back alive, Hokage-sama was _forced_ to send all her best away just to get you back! How can you be so selfish?" She cried out.

Sasuke remained silent, unable to say anything. He had hurt _his_ cherry blossom. He still wasn't sure if she was still _his_ cherry blossom, but he _was _sure that he had made the biggest mistake of his life. And now, he was paying the consequences.

"And to think...that I loved you, Uchiha..." Sakura said.

Sasuke continued to stare at her. Her words had stabbed him right in the heart; they had dug deep. She got up, and faced him with her bloodied body.

"We'll just see if you're _still _worth anything to me, Uchiha," She whispered.

With her statement, she disappeared, leaving Sasuke to stare at a pool of blood in the grass.

_I made the biggest mistake of my life, and now this is my payment_, he thought.

-:-

A bit of OOC. Sorry!


	5. Promising

**Light Shaded Dream**

_Chapter 5 – Promising_

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

-:-

Sakura went back to the inn, not bothering to cover up her bloody body with genjutsu. Her friends would notice the genjutsu right away, anyway. She opened the door, and was answered with surprised gasps and looks of horror. She ignored them, and went straight to the bathroom. Getting into the shower, she turned on the ice-cold water, the coldness stinging her gashing wound. She watched as the blood mixed with water and slowly poured down the drain, and smirked to herself. Turning the water off, she placed her hand above the wound on her back, and began to heal it. Walking home with the gashing wound had exhausted her chakra, so her wound would have to be healed a little at a time until she could heal it completely. Putting on her clothes, she walked out, and went straight to bed. She had heard the confused whispers from the boys, but the girls immediately hushed them. The only one with enough sense was Naruto.

"_Uchiha._" He growled.

Sakura slowly nodded in agreement, and found she was drifting off into slumber. Her last thoughts before going into an unwanted sleep were: _Do I still love him? Even if he hurt me?_ She felt a small tear roll down her cheek, and closed her eyes and drifted away.

-:-

Sasuke was walking past the inn where he had first seen Sakura. He looked up at the same window and saw shadows and heard their whispers, and sighed to himself. _I'm an idiot, I'm an idiot_, he thought. He continued walking, and reached his destination without much concentration. Not looking where he was going, he bumped into a sturdy body, and looked up. He immediately gained reality back, and looked at the man with such malice that the man laughed.

"Out late, Sasuke?" He asked.

Sasuke looked at him, and walked past him. All he wanted right now was _rest_. He needed to think over what had happened.

"Where are you going?" The man hissed.

"Hn," Sasuke said.

The man looked at his apprentice with such distaste that he almost killed him right then and there.

"_Don't get carried away now, Sasuke._ Konoha nin are after you...but I suppose you already had a _run-in_ with one?" He asked.

"Hn."

The man shook his head and smiled to himself as he heard Sasuke's door slamming.

"_Don't get carried away,_" He hissed to the wind.

He walked off, laughing to himself. _He wanted death_.

Sasuke plopped down on his poor mattress and thought. _I never know they'd send **her** of all people. Why couldn't I recognize her right away? ...Hn...this isn't good...I'd bet if they sent **her** they probably would have sent the rest of the Rookies and maybe even Gai's team. This is **bad**. If I need to kill Orochimaru soon, I better do it now...but that doesn't mean I'd go back with them...I still need to kill **him**. Hmph...How irritating..._  
Sasuke found himself deep in his thoughts, and began to silently drift away...

-:-

The next morning, Sakura awoke with enormous pain on her back. However, she felt that it had already begun to heal nicely. She saw Hinata's ointment on the dresser, and smiled. _Thank you, Hinata..._ She got up from her bed, and winced at the pain.

"Are you sure you want to patrol today, Sakura? Someone can take over your position for you," Naruto said, noticing his pink-haired friend stir.

"I'll go...it's a mission; I won't back out of it," She said.

"You're being brave, Sakura...he might kill you next time."

"He won't."

"But look what he did _last_ time."

Sakura shook her head and smiled at him.

"I don't mind. It's my mission, and as a kunoichi, I will fulfill the duty of the ninja. I will go through with this mission, even if it costs my life."

Naruto sighed, knowing that there was no way of knocking sense into his friend. He got up from his position and made his way to the door.

"Whenever you're ready. Everyone else is taking up their positions."

He nodded to her, and left. She smiled at the closed door, and changed into her clothes.

-:-

Sasuke sensed another presence stir as he was hitting the tree trunk. He knew who it was; he had familiarized with their chakra levels. He continued to hit the tree trunk, paying no mind that he knew that they were watching his every move. With swift hesitation, he turned around, and sighed.

"I know you're there Sakura."

Sakura jumped down from her perch and faced him. Sasuke noticed her wince at the impact, and just shook his head.

"You shouldn't be out of bed," He said, nonchalantly continuing his training.

"You aren't my mother," Sakura teased.

The two remained silent for a while, and Sakura _hated _it. She knew that Sasuke was _always_ the silent type, but this time, it annoyed her. A lot.

"Sorry," Sasuke mumbled.

Sakura shook her head in disbelief, and looked at him with wide eyes.

"What?" She asked.

It took Sasuke a lot of pride-swallowing just to say that _one_ word. And Sakura knew that; she just loved torturing him.

"Sorry," He said more clearly.

Sakura looked at him, and smiled.

"For what?"

He glared at her, and wiped away his sweat from his forehead.

"...everything..."

Again, Sakura was staring in disbelief. She closed her eyes, and took a seat at the foot of a tree behind Sasuke, and smiled to herself.

"It's okay, Uchiha."

Sasuke winced at hearing his last name. Getting Sakura to resort to _that_ respect meant that he hurt her..._badly_. But of course he knew this, and let it slide. _I have to get used to hearing my last name,_ he thought. Sakura began humming a tune, watching Sasuke continue to hit the tree trunk.

"Are you coming back with us?" Sakura asked.

She _needed_ to know the answer.

"...No."

Sakura let go of all her hope, and sighed. She knew that would be the answer. Sasuke felt her uneasiness, stopped practicing his taijustu, and turned to face her.

"Even if..."

"Yes. My goal is not yet accomplished. But when it is...I promise you I'll come back."

Sakura felt relieved to hear his promise, and childishly held out her pinky.

"You have to pinky promise me!" She happily said.

Sasuke groaned in irritation, and connected his strong pinky to her tiny one.

"Honestly, Sakura, do you _ever_ grow up?" He asked.

"No."

Sakura stuck out her tongue, and began to laugh to herself. Sasuke smiled for one millisecond, and resumed his training. The smile did not go unnoticed by Sakura. _That's better, Uchiha._ With Sakura silently humming to herself and talking to a random blue jay, Sasuke felt..._warm_. He snapped his head in the direction behind Sakura, and basically shot himself right there. He felt chakra, _strong_ chakra. Luckily for him, Sakura was still in disguise, and he would just have to improvise with that for now. Good thing it wasn't his sensei, or Sakura would end up dead. Sakura noticed his tense state, and immediately went into her emotionless self.

"Sasuke. I heard laughter. Was someone here?" The voice asked.

Sasuke turned to face his comrade, and carelessly shrugged.

"Just a fan girl," He mumbled.

His comrade looked in front of him, and found Sakura, or rather, a girl zoning out.

"And you haven't killed her yet?"

"Kabuto, just mind your business and _get out of here_," Sasuke hissed.

Kabuto just smirked at him, and walked over next to Sakura.

"What's your name? You seem new to the village," He said.

Without giving Sakura a chance to reply, Sasuke hastily told Kabuto a fake name.

"Her name is Kaiu. She has no surname."

Kabuto looked Sakura over, and smirked.

"Is that so? Well Kaiu, I'm Kabuto. Nice to meet you," Kabuto said.

Sakura, or 'Kaiu', looked at Kabuto with no interest whatsoever.

"Hn."

Kabuto stared at her in disbelief, and smirked. He _liked_ what he saw. This girl was _just_ like Sasuke. Sasuke didn't like how Kabuto was looking at Sakura, and quickly made a move before his jealously could get the better of him.

"Kabuto, _leave,_" Sasuke hissed.

"But I've _only_ just met Kaiu here," Kabuto said.

Sasuke gave him a death glare, and Kabuto laughed.

"Okay, okay, no need to get jealous. See you around, Kaiu."

Kaiu/Sakura looked at Kabuto boredly, and gave him the best Sasuke glare she could muster.

"Hn, you were annoying. About time you left," She hissed.

Kabuto glared at her, and disappeared in smoke. When Sasuke knew it was safe, he smirked at Sakura and did some hand seals, and fireballs emerged from his mouth. The trunk he was practicing on was engulfed in flames. To make sure it did not spread after the tree burned, Sakura cast a jutsu around it to ensure the forest's safety.

"I didn't know you could be cold," Sasuke said.

Sakura stared at him, and smirked.

"What I get for loving you."

"Hn."

Sakura looked up at the sky and noticed it darkening, and turned to Sasuke.

"I better go. They're probably worried about why I haven't been back yet," She said.

He nodded in understanding, and began to walk with her back.

"You'll still be training there, right?" Sakura asked.

He looked at her, and sighed.

"If you _really_ need to see me, then _yes._ Just don't be _annoying_ again."

Sakura glared at him.

"I wasn't annoying you _this _time."

Sasuke shrugged.

"Bye, Uchiha!"

She waved to him and ran inside the inn. He nonchalantly nodded in reply and began his walk back home. _Hm...he's starting to change_, Sakura thought.

-:-

Sorry about some OOC! D:


	6. The Sound of Snow Falling

**Light Shaded Dream**

_Chapter 6 – The Sound of Snow Falling_

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

-:-

Many weeks passed since the squad's arrival in the Sound Village. Naruto, Hinata, Neji, Tenten, Shikamaru, and Ino all continued their patrolling in their designated areas. None had seen Sasuke even _once_ yet. The only member that _has _was Sakura. Sakura and Sasuke began to regain each other's trust, but Sakura still wasn't able to give him his former nickname of 'Sasuke-kun'. Regardless, Sasuke was able to familiarize his nickname of 'Uchiha', so it didn't matter to him. Sasuke's senses have became sharper during Sakura's presence for her protection; Sakura's emotions were able to quickly hide. Autumn slowly changed to winter. The village had started to be covered up in snow; it wasn't _quite _the same as Konoha.

-:-

Sakura sat on a branch of a tall tree, gently talking to Mr. Blue Jay. She whispered and giggled a lot, as if the blue jay was actually _communicating_ with her and she could understand him. Sasuke continued his harsh training even in the snow, muttering curses about Sakura and her immaturity.

"Hehehe, really? I didn't know that, Mr. Blue Jay!" Sakura giggled.

Sasuke looked up to Sakura's perch and moaned in irritation.

"Sakura, honestly, _grow up_."

Sakura pouted at him, and continued talking to her friend.

"Oh, don't mind the silly Uchiha! He's colder than this snow! Uh-huh! You better believe it! Uh-oh. Now I'm starting to sound like Naruto! Heehee!"

Sasuke slapped his forehead, and sensed his comrade coming, so he gave Sakura a signal and she immediately shut up.

"Kabuto, I _swear_ it is like you are _stalking_ me," Sasuke said in irritation.

Kabuto emerged from the snow-covered trees, and wiped his frozen glasses on his shirt. He had been giving Sasuke and Sakura daily visits.

"It's not _my _fault your friend Kaiu is _so _intriguing," He teased.

Sasuke glared at him with such hatred that his glasses seemed to melt.

"_Jealous_, are we? Where is she?" Kabuto asked.

Kaiu/Sakura jumped down from the tree, and spotted Kabuto.

"Tch. You _again_? How many times have I told you that you're _annoying_?" She asked, annoyance coming out of her voice.

Kabuto smiled at her, and waved.

"I'm _sure_ you don't _mean_ it, Kaiu."

Sasuke began to kick his trunk so hard that the trunk began to split, and Kabuto continued to flirt with Kaiu to get on Sasuke's nerves.

"No, I mean it. Go away."

"But _Kaiu_..."

Sasuke couldn't take it anymore. He turned around, and glared at his comrade. He took Kaiu/Sakura, carried her bridal style, did hand seals, and soon they disappeared. Before the jutsu took effect however, Sasuke hissed at Kabuto.

"_Stay away_," He hissed.

Kabuto wholeheartedly laughed as his 'comrade' disappeared within the snow.

-:-

Sasuke and Sakura found themselves _far_ from the village, _very_ far. So far, it'd take them at _least _a day to get back to the village.

"Oh _nice_, Uchiha, now we have to camp out in the _snow_," Sakura said.

Sasuke glared at her, and looked around, making sure that they were not followed.

"What, would you rather have Kabuto flirting with you back there?" He asked.

Sakura thought for a moment, and shivered at the thought.

"Thanks for taking me here, Uchiha!"

Sasuke sweatdropped and began gathering wood for a fire. Sakura was making makeshift mattresses out of leaves, much like the one she had before arriving at the village. Sasuke eyed her, and shook his head.

"You ought to hide those before we leave tomorrow," He said.

Sakura looked at him in confusion. Sasuke caught the look in her eyes, and sighed.

"Before you arrived, I saw those same type of mattresses scattered about...what I assumed was your camp?"

Sakura nodded.

"So hide them when we leave tomorrow."

Sakura nodded again. By this time, Sasuke had been able to start a fire, and Sakura cuddled next to it for warmth. She was intrigued by the winter's beauty, but Sasuke _hated_ the cold. Ironic though, since he _is_ colder than the snow (well, if he wants to be). He noticed Sakura taking in the winter scents, breezes, and beauty.

"Why do you like winter so much?" He asked.

Sakura looked at him, and smiled.

"I love the snow. It's almost like the stars to me, except...well...different. I like to believe that every piece of snow that reaches this earth has a reason, much like a person. And whenever I catch a piece of snow in my hand, I think of the person that I want to be with the most...Do you ever hear it, Uchiha?"

Sasuke looked at her in confusion. Sakura caught the look in _his _eye this time, and went on to explain.

"I always believe that snow has a sound to it as it is falling. A melody of sorrow, playing gently as the snow falls."

Sasuke remained silent, and Sakura began to laugh.

"I know, you're probably wondering why I have such..._childish_ beliefs. I don't know...maybe when I was still a genin, I'd always wish for the impossible..."

Sasuke understood about what she meant, and suddenly felt a weight on his shoulder. He looked over, and found that Sakura had dozed off and her head was on his shoulder. He lightly blushed, but didn't want to wake her, so he just let her doze off next to the fire.

-:-

"WHERE IS SHE? HOLY SHIT! WHAT IF SHE'S IN OROCHIMARU'S CLUTCHES?" Ino screamed.

She was basically pulling her hair out due to worry about where Sakura was. Everyone sighed at her exaggerating antics, and Tenten finally went over and clamped her hand over Ino's mouth.

"Ino, _shut it_. Other people staying here will probably wonder why the hell a crazy girl is screaming about their _leader_ will definitely get them suspicious!" Tenten harshly whispered.

Ino struggled to get out of her grasp, but Tenten's grip was strong. Shikamaru sat down on his bed, trying to analyze the situation. Neji and Hinata were searching the village with their hidden Byakugan, and Naruto was having an argument with himself inside his head.

"She's not _anywhere_ in range of our Byakugan," Neji and Hinata said, entering the room.

Hinata looked extremely worried, and began to cry. Naruto went over and comforted her, telling her that everything was alright.

"I...d-don't...understand...i-it..." Hinata sobbed.

Naruto rubbed his hand over her back, hoping to soothe her.

"The only thing I can _think_ of is that she's with Uchiha," Shikamaru finally said.

Everyone looked at him in shock, well, the boys at least. The girls, however, were not surprised.

"I'm not worried," Tenten said.

"M-me e-either...I j-just h-hope U-u-Uchiha...d-doesn't h-hurt h-her..." Hinata said.

"He won't," Ino reassured.

Neji remained silent, but Naruto looked at the girls.

"How do you know?"

Hinata and Tenten gulped, but Ino answered for them.

"She still _loves_ him. And besides, have you noticed that Sakura's been _happier_ lately? She's not zoning out as much anymore. She has no new wounds," Ino said.

Tenten and Hinata nodded, and Hinata finally gathered up her courage to say something.

"And her patrol area is where Uchiha trains, so she's been seeing him everyday."

Everyone looked at Naruto's reaction, knowing that he would have something to say about this. Naruto took a deep breath, and _smiled_.

"That's good then. Teme's been knocked to sense," He said.

Everyone looked at him with confusion, and he noticed this. He wasn't up for an explanation however, as he just went straight to the bed and closed his eyes.

"Teme won't hurt her."

With that, he slept. Everyone trusted his judgement, due to his brotherly relationship with Sakura _and_ Sasuke, so they just calmed themselves down, and slept.

-:-

Sakura awoke in the middle of the night, and found herself dozing off on Sasuke's shoulder. She blushed, and began to stir, but was stopped when she felt a sturdy hand keeping her in position.

"No. You'll make too much noise if you go onto your mattress now," He said.

She obliged, and began to stare at the dying fire.

"Why aren't you sleeping, Uchiha?" She asked.

The Uchiha looked at her, and averted his gaze to the fire.

"I can never sleep," He gruffly said.

"Why?"

"Watching. Watching to see if Orochimaru's pawns will ever betray and kill me."

"Don't your eyes get tired?"

"I close my eyes, but I never actually drift off into slumber. Sometimes...I wish I could."

Sakura stared at him, and smiled.

"Why?"

"I wish to _dream_ again. I don't care if I'll dream up a nightmare. I just want to..._relearn_ the events that go through my head."

"I understand."

The snow was still falling, but it was slowly falling. It created a serene atmosphere for the two. Sakura felt content, since the cold-hearted Uchiha's wall of ice was beginning to melt. Sakura began to shiver from the cold, and this went unnoticed by Sasuke. Hesitantly, he put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him. Sakura blushed at his movement, and inwardly smiled to herself.

"Er...Uchiha?"

"You're on a mission. You don't want to lose your arm or leg or anything...and I don't think you want to _die_ either."

Sakura nodded, and leaned into his shoulder, closing her eyes. She listened carefully, and she heard it. _The sound of snow falling..._She drifted off to slumber, the sorrow theme ringing through her ears.

Sasuke watched as Sakura drifted off into slumber once more, and smirked to himself. Inside, he felt his heart beginning to melt away.

_Yes Sakura, I always have felt that sorrowful tune when snow falls..._

He looked at her dozing form, clinging to his body for warmth.

_But that was only because...everything was so far away..._

He envied her closed eyes, and the content smile gracing her face.

_I wish I could dream again..._

He knew she was dreaming, and held her even closer.

_Because I always wish to dream of you..._

-:-

Er...cheesy chapter? xD;


	7. Mixing Tears

**Light Shaded Dream**

_Chapter 7 – Mixing Tears_

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

-:-

Sakura was awoken by sturdy hands poking her. She moaned in frustration and absentmindedly asked for five more minutes, and heard a small, nearly inaudible chuckle. She jolted awake, and was met with confused eyes.

"Did I just hear _the_ Uchiha Sasuke..._chuckle_?" She asked.

Sasuke looked at her with an innocent glare, and smirked.

"No, you must have been dreaming."

"You're lying."

She smiled at him, and decided to drop the subject. It's not like _the_ Uchiha Sasuke would ever admit that he laughed anyway. Sasuke stood up, and rolled his neck. He was sore. _Very _sore. After all, he _did_ have Sakura sleeping on his shoulder all night. Sakura noticed this, and blushed.

"Ehh...I'm sorry, Uchiha..." She said.

Sasuke looked at her, and turned away. He was smiling, but she couldn't see him.

"Hn."

Sakura herself stretched out, since _she _was sore too. Sasuke began spreading out the leaves from her mattresses, which were unused, while she was loosening up her muscles. When everything was finished, and they were _sure_ that their signs of existence were demolished, they set out.

-:-

Ino, Tenten, and Hinata had awoken first. They were all worried about Sakura, since she was _still_ not back. Ino was still horrified about the possibility of Sakura with Orochimaru, but Tenten and Hinata assured her that there was no way that Sakura was there and they were still safe and sound. They were conversing amongst each other about if Sakura would ever love Sasuke again, when their chatter awoke Neji, a very, _very_ angry Neji.

"I know it is early, but you girls gossiping and making bets is _not_ helping out this situation," He growled.

Tenten and Ino blushed, while Hinata played with her fingers.

"S-sorry, Neji-kun...we were just trying to get our minds off of things," Tenten said.

Neji got up and walked to the bathroom. He looked at Tenten, and smirked. He closed the door behind him. Tenten, on the other hand, was _pissed_ off. She wasn't _too _fond of Neji's arrogant attitude, but that's one reason on why she _adored_ him. Tenten was hard to understand; many would think she _hated_ Neji's guts, but deep inside, she was _madly_ in love with him. Luckily for her, _all_ her friends knew that she loved Neji. She heard Ino and Hinata giggle, and was about to knock them out, when she felt someone's hand on her shoulder. It was Naruto.

"Save it," He said.

Hinata blushed madly, and Ino just laughed. Who knew Naruto would stop Tenten from beating them up?

"You guys are too noisy...how am I supposed to sleep with all this noise?"

They all turned to Shikamaru, and his statement made Ino _boil_.

"You get _enough_ sleep when you're slacking off during training staring at the _clouds_ all day!"

Shikamaru's curses and whispers of 'Troublesome woman...' could be heard, and Ino was held back from killing him. Neji emerged from the shower, and Naruto went in after him. The girls admired his silky smooth hair.

"Neji-kun?" Tenten asked.

Neji looked at her, acknowledging her question, quietly asking her to continue.

"How do you keep your hair so silky and shiny?" She sheepishly asked.

Neji smirked at her, and whispered in her ear.

"Secret..."

Tenten blushed, and everyone in the room giggled helplessly.

-:-

The winter cold brought devastating effects on the couple making their way back 'home'. Sasuke was getting more annoyed by the second due to Sakura's random ranting, and he could _not_ understand the point in _any_ of her ranting.

"So then, I go to Ichiraku, and I see Naruto, but then, I see Tenten running away from an _evil_ Neji, and then Lee suddenly shows up and blows me kisses of DOOOMM!" Sakura says, accompanied with the appropriate hand gestures.

Sasuke stares at her as if she was a maniac.

"Sakura, are you sure you're not on _drugs_ or _drunk_?" He asks.

Sakura blinks at him, then she smiles wide as she remembers _another_ thing to rant about.

"Oh! That reminds me of the time, when I had this patient at the hospital, who had an overdose of smuggled drugs, and they seemed like they were HAPPY! I mean, the overdose didn't even kill them yet! So I try my best to cure them, right? And they keep SQUIRMING, so I'm like...HOW THE HECK AM I SUPPOSED TO KEEP YOU FROM DYING IF YOU KEEP SQUIRMING LIKE THAT? Then..."

Sasuke put a hand to her mouth, and his tolerance went to _negative_ a hundred...if that was even possible.

"Shut.your.stupid.mouth," He hissed.

Sakura got the message, and sighed. They continued their journey back to the village, when Sasuke stopped dead in his tracks. Sakura immediately understood that there was an unwanted presence _very_ close by, and she immediately turned cold.

"Sasuke," A voice whispered.

Sasuke _knew_ who it was. And he didn't like it..._at all._

"Hn."

The speaker emerged from the shadows, and Sakura stopped herself from gasping from horror _and _creating an attempt to _murder_ him for taking Sasuke away from her, even if she _would_ lose her life trying.

"Who's this?"

They motioned to Sakura, and Sasuke looked over nonchalantly and started walking. Sakura got the message and began walking with him. She sensed the killer aura emerging from the man. She quickened her pace. Sasuke also felt it, and threw his hand in the air as if signifying a good-bye wave. The man appeared before them, and he was _deathly_ pale.

"Sasuke...I _will_ take over your body one of these days...your arrogant behavior isn't giving you _any_ power is it, hmmm?"

"I've got what I _needed_, and now I just need to _hone_ my skills," Sasuke hissed.

The man eyed Sakura closely.

"Who is _this_? I will ask again," He said.

"Hn," Sasuke said.

The man's tolerance snapped, and he made a move for Sakura. Sakura saw this, and jumped behind Sasuke, but she was caught in the man's clutches.

"This _girl_, you _know_ her, don't you..." The man hissed.

Sasuke glared at him, remaining as emotionless as possible, even _if _his heart was exploding with panic.

"And it seems she's made _quite_ an impact on you..." He continued.

Sakura sensed what he was going to do to her, and she tried her best to wiggle free. She concentrated chakra to the soles of her feet, and she kicked him...hard. The man winced in pain, but there was no opening for her to escape. Sasuke raised his eyebrows at the man's wincing, but kept his focus on Sakura.

"I'll just have to..._take_ her..." He said.

The man maniacally laughed, and he and Sakura disappeared within the snow. Sasuke stared wide-eyed, and he yelled. His rage developing had just been propelled fifty fold, and _now,_ he had an excuse to kill this man. And if he could, he would kill him a thousand more times for taking _his_ ranting, annoying, irritating, obnoxious cherry blossom. Tears of rage fell from his eyes...and for the first time in so many years, _Uchiha Sasuke cried._

-:-

Neji and Hinata bolted upwards as they sensed something was wrong. _Something was very wrong._

"Sakura's missing," Naruto said.

The ninja looked at him with wonder, and he explained.

"I can feel it...Feeling Sasuke-teme's anger isn't _that_ hard...and believe me, it's a _lot_ of it," Naruto said.

They all understood, after all, Naruto _was _the victim of Sasuke's rage many, _many_ times.

"Orochimaru," Ino whispered.

And for once, _just_ this once, she wasn't knocked senseless for assuming that Sakura was in his clutches. Because, in truth, she was.

-:-

Ehh, not that exciting chapter. Sorry! But it shall get better :D


	8. Sidetracked Hints

**Light Shaded Dream**

_Chapter 8 – Sidetracked Hints_

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

-:-

Sakura awoke in an abyss of nothingness, trying to find her position in the darkness. She felt like a prisoner; her hands were shackled, traps were everywhere, and she was _alone_. The lonely feeling sweeping through her body was so great that it was unbearable to her; it took all her self-control to keep herself from crying out in frustration. She felt so alone and helpless; there was nobody there to save her. Somehow, she had a feeling that everyone _but_ Sasuke would come rescue her. But in the time she had spent with him, she had sensed a change in his behavior when he was around her, but of course she wouldn't believe her hunches and just let them be. She heard someone appear before her, and she knew who it was. His annoying presence had caused her to unconsciously familiarize with his chakra levels.

"Tch, who knew? Kaiu is _actually_ the Haruno Sakura, of Konoha, strongest medical ninja and apprentice to the _Hokage_," The voice said.

If there was light to show Sakura's face, this man would see her grimace in annoyance.

"You know, sooner or later, we'll find out about the rest of your squad. They are probably looking for you right now..." The man continued.

Sakura remained silent; she couldn't betray her squad or her village.

"If you stayed away from Sasuke, I'm sure you wouldn't be in this situation," The man said.

"Kabuto, get out of my face!" Sakura screamed.

Kabuto looked at her with surprise, and a smirk graced his face.

"As you wish, _Sakura_," He said.

"Drop your act, and _leave_," Sakura hissed.

"Well well. Looks like Sasuke left quite an impression on you...but _you_ also made an impression on him..."

Sakura's patience and control snapped.

"_Leave!_"

Her voice was filled with threatening malice, and Kabuto performed a few hand seals and disappeared. Sakura sighed in relief. She would rather be filled with loneliness than be stuck with _any_ of the Oto nin. She knew that if her squad came finding her, Konoha could be in great danger, _and_ their lives may be lost. _Tch, all this for an **Uchiha**. Who knew he'd make **everything** so complicated! _Sakura screamed within herself, confused and angry. If Konoha came to an end, it was _all_ her fault. Sure, Konoha still have Lee, Chouji, and Jounin, Chuunin, and the other ANBU squads, but it was _always_ a possibility for that to falter.

-:-

Sasuke found himself standing in a room full of his old companions. All were staring at him with bitter hate. It's not _everyday_ the traitor Uchiha Sasuke came knocking at their inn door with his mind in a state of mental instability.

Flashback 

_Sasuke found himself running as fast as he could to where he had first found Sakura. It was possible that at that inn, the rest of her squad was hiding undercover. He hoped they were still there, and not out looking for him. Though, Sakura could be left forgotten if the squad wasn't who he thought it was, so it was essential he **knew** the squad members. Of course, he had a hunch about the entire squad, since he knew Konoha very well. He arrived at the room he **thought** was the window where he first saw Sakura, and he knocked. To his surprise, all the people in there looked at him with grim malice and worry._

End Flashback 

Sasuke ran his fingers through his hair in frustration, and rubbed his temples. He couldn't believe he let Sakura be taken away so easily from him. He felt the tension between him and his old friends, and he explained.

"Orochimaru."

Ino looked at him with horror, and tears had threatened to fall from her face. Shikamaru put a comforting hand around her shoulder, and she buried her head in his chest, hoping to find comfort. Tenten stared at the Uchiha absentmindedly, and Hinata began to silently cry on Naruto's shoulder.

"Teme..."

"Dobe..."

Neji looked at the both of them, and sighed. They _did_ have a brotherly relationship, after all. Somehow, he felt torn between two sides, turning the Uchiha in and finishing the mission, or bringing back Sakura and risking their lives.

"Uchiha, you _are_ coming back with us once we get Sakura back," Tenten said.

Neji glared at Tenten, and she explained.

"Well, would you like having to see Tsunade-sama angry to find her best apprentice dead from a mission? It'd be even worse if she had her sake," Tenten said.

"It's a _mission_, Tenten! You can't change its course due to a little detour!"

"For _once_, Neji, _please_ don't be an arrogant, cold-hearted, stubborn jerk. _Please_. Sakura needs us. Who knows what Orochimaru will do to her..." Tenten said.

Tears threatened to fall from her face, but her being a tomboy, she quickly shook them away.

"Orochimaru wants _me_," Sasuke hissed.

Everyone stayed silent, and all the attention was his.

"He only took her because she made an impact on me..."

Naruto smirked.

"Really, Sasuke-teme? I was beginning to think when you'd _finally_ realize it, you know..." Naruto said.

Sasuke glared at him, and turned to Tenten.

"And no, I won't be returning with you. But if we go and retrieve Sakura, I'm sure she'll explain if you ask her to."

They all nodded, and a plan began to formulate through their minds.

"Heh, who knew the teme would _finally_ open up and smell the roses..." Naruto said.

Sasuke glared at him, and Naruto grinned.

_Yep, I was right..._Naruto thought.

-:-

Sakura shuddered in her prison. It has been _days_ since she had seen the light. Thinking about her squad, she realized she didn't _want_ them to come and find her. They'd risk their lives. Sasuke was already in their clutches, so they should leave as fast as possible, before any Oto nin could find them. She felt her wrists scrape against the metal shackles, and she felt the pain scream out from her wounds. Whatever fate had in store for her, she was ready. Even if it meant death.

"You," Hissed a voice.

Sakura's heart fell. She _knew_ the only choice was death for now.

"Now that _I_ have you, I can _definitely_ have Sasuke's body..."

_Yep, death is the only way out of this...I can't let him get Uchiha..._ She thought.

"Perfect."

_It's okay though, right? We said what we needed to say..._

"Where is the rest of your squad?"

Sakura remained silent. She would _not_ betray her village.

"You're still silent, and it's already been _days_. Sasuke won't show up for _you_..."

Sakura felt the threatening tears, and she remembered so many nights ago...Her memories flashed before her, and it was too overwhelming...She felt herself be thrown to the ground, and her wrists open and release her blood onto the cold floor. Her body was slowly dying, and there was nothing she could do.

"Wrong," A voice hissed.

-:-

Probably pretttyyy obvious who it is...xD


	9. Confessions of a Broken Heart

**Light Shaded Dream**

_Chapter 9 – Confessions of a Broken Heart_

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. And also, if you're familiar with the song "Confessions of a Broken Heart" by Lindsay Lohan, then chapter title belongs to that. :D

-:-

Sakura hid her gasp of surprise by keeping her head down on the cold floor. It was surreal for her; she knew this man would _never_ rescue her. All she could do was keep her breathing normal, and find an opening.

"Well, well. Look who's here," Sakura's captor hissed.

"You're...wrong..." The man whispered.

Sakura could tell the heated tension between sensei and student, and began to formulate a plan in her head.

"I have you _trapped_, you can _never _disrespect or disobey me _again_..."

"That's _only_ if you get into my body."

"Hmph. This girl, you do not even have _feelings _for her. You are an avenger. You do not need such feelings!"

Sakura's lips trembled with anger. She has heard that _so_ many times in her younger years, and how it _pained_ her so to hear the truth spoken in front of her face. She could not bear with the pain, and she _knew_ what was going to be said next. And she would _not_ let those words slip from his lips. That would ruin him, and both of them would be put into mortal danger. Finding a way to get herself standing, her back slid against the stonewall, giving her support. She ignored the tremendous pain emitting from her shackles, and she did the unimaginable. Focusing her chakra to her hands, she slammed her shackles against the wall, causing them to shatter due to the force of the slam. The crimson liquid dripped onto the floor from her wrists, and she turned to face where she could feel their presence.

"You're...right...He _doesn't_ need any feelings, because he has a goal he needs to accomplish, and having little petty emotions won't help that," Sakura whispered.

Every word she said pierced her right in the heart, and both of the men stared at her in surprise.

"Is that so? So if I kill you _here_ and now, he won't go into an emotional wreck? Or even wreak havoc on me?"

Sakura paid no attention to her captor, and she walked over to where her instincts told her where the man was standing. She felt his chakra boiling; his anger was beginning to rise at an alarming rate. She placed her hand on his shoulder, and was beginning to feel weak and limp due to her blood loss. Her blood began staining his shirt, and he quickly caught her as her legs gave out.

"Sasuke...kun...don't...listen to him...it's a trap..." Sakura whispered.

Sasuke held her in his arms protectively, and ripped off parts of his shirt, and bandaged her open wrists. The sight pained him, and soon, it was done. He placed her behind him, gently setting her down against the wall.

"I won't...don't worry, Sakura..." He whispered.

He got up, and turned to face the man he wished to _die_.

"What is she, your _slave_?" Sasuke spat.

His sensei laughed manically at him. His eyes challenged his student. Sasuke blindly ran forward, kunai in his hand. His sensei saw this, and quickly brought out his own kunai, and metal clashed against metal. Sasuke did hand seals, and fireballs emerged from his mouth, but his sensei was _stronger _than that. He easily dodged them, and threw shuriken at his student. The battle went on and on with the same techniques and same weapons, until Sasuke was sure he had the advantage. He quickly began to gather chakra into his hand, beginning to spark the Chidori. His sensei saw this, and immediately took advantage and knocked him to the ground. He stabbed kunai into his student's body in various places, smiling as he did so. Sasuke killed himself inside for leaving a blind spot, and kept himself from crying out in pain as kunai impaled his body. He stared at his sensei, and sensed what was coming next. Focusing chakra at his feet, he kicked him off...hard. Sakura awoke as she felt the impact of the man hitting the wall next to her, and she sensed something wrong.

"U-u...Uchiha? Uchiha?" Sakura called out.

She was met with silence. Fear was overtaking her, and her body began trembling.

"Sasuke? Sasuke-kun!" She screamed.

She felt a limp hand by her feet, and she dropped to the floor. Her hands searched the darkness for the body, and she felt it. Light slowly filtered through the cracked and demolished walls, and the sight horrified her. She saw a limp Sasuke, showered in blood, kunai impaled throughout his body.

"Sasuke-kun!" She cried.

She took his hand and felt for a pulse, and she luckily found one. To her surprise, the hand gripped back, and his face was removed from the bloody ground, and he turned to face her.

"Inn...squad...there..." He whispered.

He collapsed. Sakura immediately understood, and disappeared, carrying her beloved.

-:-

Sasuke felt like he was soaring through the air. His body was limp, but he was conscious. Sakura's words were ringing in his ears.

_"You're...right...He doesn't need any feelings, because he has a goal he needs to accomplish, and having little petty emotions won't help that."_

Was this the same Sakura he knew? If only he could see her facial expression...But he heard her say those words...malice, confusion, sorrow. Was it true?

-:-

Sakura silently healed all of Sasuke's wounds, removing the kunai from his body. Her squad had returned slightly injured, but they had assured her they had infiltrated Orochimaru's base and killed many of the Oto Nin. They were all gathered around the bed where the injured Uchiha lay, silently wishing for him to do well and recover. Sakura, however, was the one emotionally and mentally wrecked; her mind was in clutters of thoughts, her emotions were confused about what was right. She could do nothing but watch Sasuke's helpless body recover. She transferred chakra into his wounds to help them heal faster, and she fell onto the bed after her transfers, exhausted from overusing her chakra. Ino was about to scream, but Shikamaru sensed this and placed a hand over her mouth.

"She only exhausted her chakra. She's fine," He reassured.

The blonde nodded, and all waited patiently for the two to return back to consciousness.

-:-

Sakura awoke at sunrise the next morning, her body sore and tired, but her chakra back to normal nonetheless. She looked to her left and found the sleeping Sasuke, and smirked to herself. She leaned down and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"You can finally get your sleep," She whispered into his ear.

The others were still asleep, and she took it that Neji and Tenten were out sparring somewhere. She got out of bed and took a shower, cleansing her body from the dry blood sticking to her skin. The warm water soothed her; it gave her tranquility, allowing her to organize her mind. When she got out of the shower, Naruto, Hinata, Ino, and Shikamaru were all heading out for their 'patrols', this time only to make sure that Sakura and Sasuke would not be attacked.

"Sakura, take it easy, okay?" Ino said.

Sakura nodded. Shikamaru gave her a look telling her the same thing, he was just too lazy to do so, and she smiled. The two walked out of the door together, silently discussing the happenings of the day before.

"Sa-Sakura-chan, don't stress yourself. I left my ointment by the nightstand, should you need any more of it for Uchiha's wound," Hinata said.

"Thank you, Hinata."

Hinata smiled at her, and waited for Naruto to give her his thoughts.

"Sakura, you still love him, don't you?" Naruto asked.

She looked at him, and smiled.

"Hai, that's a real smile. Let me know if you want any ramen," He said.

Sakura giggled, and waved as Naruto and Hinata left the room. She walked back to Sasuke's side, and did an inspection of his wounds. Most have closed up and had stopped bleeding, but any occasional movement could open them up again. She unwrapped his bandages, and massaged Hinata's ointment into his wounds, and gave him a small chakra transfer. She then gave him new bandages, and was left alone in her thoughts.

-:-

Sasuke was unable to move his body or wake himself up, but he was alive in his mind. He could hear everything go on outside of him, and longed to see Sakura's face, but his body would not allow him to open his eyes.

_"You can finally get your sleep." He heard her say._

He inwardly smiled to himself, and thanked her. He also felt the quick peck on the cheek, and would have blushed if his body were responding to his brainwaves.

_"Sakura, you still love him, don't you? ...Hai, that's a real smile..." He heard Naruto say._

_The dobe_, he thought to himself. He then felt new chakra rushing into his body, and his wounds being massaged with a gooey substance. Then, after what seemed like an eternity of silence, he heard Sakura's voice speaking with him, as if she knew he could hear her.

_"Sasuke-kun...I'm sorry. It's my entire fault. I should have never went out to see you, never went out to bother you. It's my fault you have to live with the pain your wounds have caused you. I know sorry doesn't cut it this time..."_

How he longed to tell her it wasn't her fault.

_"Oh yeah, did you notice? I can finally call you Sasuke-kun again. I don't know why...but I trust you now. But I know that it may take forever to get you back to Konoha. You wouldn't believe how much it's changed," She continued._

_"You should see the new batch of academy students! I still remember when Ino and I had our eyes on you. Don't you agree that it was hilarious? I wonder if you know the reason why I began liking you in the first place..."_

He wanted to know.

_"It's hard to explain. I know that a lot of your fan girls liked you cause of your looks and your 'cool' demeanor. But I don't think that's a good reason to like anyone. I mean...sure, your looks and your personality are definitely mesmerizing...but I don't know. I know this sounds cheesy, but it's almost like...fate willed me to meet you, and to fall in love with you. Did you ever notice how we compliment each other's personality? Yeah, I know, I'm annoying, but, I mean, it's true..."_

He felt liquid splatter onto his face, and he knew what it was.

_"Oh no! Now I'm crying! Imagine if you saw and heard me like this. You'd probably say I'm weak and annoying..."_

That only made the tears fall down harder. Sasuke longed to wake up from his state, and tell her it wasn't her fault. He felt her hand grip his, and he unconsciously gripped back. Sakura jumped back in shock.

"Sasuke-kun? Are you awake?" She whispered.

Sasuke finally opened his eyes, and smirked.

"Yes, Sakura, I'm awake..." He said.

Sakura sighed with relief.

"And Sakura..."

She looked at him, acknowledging him to continue.

"It wasn't your fault..."

Sakura gaped at him.

"Y-you could hear me?" She sheepishly asked.

Sasuke's smirked only widened, and he turned to face her.

"Hai."

Sakura blushed, and hid it by looking away. Sasuke silently chuckled, which of course, didn't go unnoticed by Sakura. This time, though, she was too embarrassed by what she told him, that she let it slide. The day went by slowly, Sasuke slowly recovering, and Sakura slowly healing his wounds. It ended, and the two were still unconsciously holding hands.

-:-


	10. Forgotten Worries

**Light Shaded Dream**

_Chapter 10 – Forgotten Worries_

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

-:-

Sakura's squad came back to the inn late during the night, to find Sasuke and Sakura dozing off peacefully. Sakura's head was resting on Sasuke's shoulder as she cuddled close to him, and one of Sasuke's hands was around Sakura's waist. The girls silently giggled to themselves (along with a smirking Naruto), and they cleaned themselves up and went to bed.

Naruto lay on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He was right. _Sasuke has changed. And he could have fallen for Sakura. No, scratch that. He has fallen for Sakura, even though he would never admit that to anyone's face, _Naruto thought. He smiled in the darkness, and felt Hinata shift her position on the bed so that she was facing him.

"Naruto-kun...are you okay? Why aren't you sleeping?" She whispered.

Naruto turned to face her, and closed his eyes, smiling.

"Just thinking," He replied.

Hinata nodded, and went back to sleep. Naruto took one last look at Sakura and Sasuke, and dozed off.

Sakura awoke at three in the morning. She blushed at her and Sasuke's position, and stayed in bed, refusing to get up and interrupting the peace between her and her friends. Her gaze drifted to the sleeping Uchiha, and smiled. _Not much has changed in his appearance_, she thought. Her gaze moved to the window at the side of the room, and sighed. So much has happened during the mission. It all seemed like a hallucination. She did not want to believe any of it, since it all seemed so..._surreal_. She closed her eyes and inhaled the scents around her. Sasuke still smelled of dry blood and Hinata's ointment, but Sakura could still diminish his natural scent. She jumped up in shock when Sasuke's hold around her waist tightened and she was pulled closer to him. _He must be dreaming_, she thought.

**-:- Sasuke's Dream Sequence (Sasuke's POV)-:-**

_I found myself under a spell, my memories flashing before me. The Uchiha Manor. I was running down the corridors, and opened my parent's bedroom door. My eyes widened in shock, as I found my mother and father dead, their corpses lying atop each other, bathing in their pools of blood. Tears threatened to fall from my face, and what I saw next shocked me. My older brother, my idol, Itachi, was standing there. I asked him why Kaa-san and Tou-san were there dead...and it turned black. I regained consciousness, and found myself at Konoha, before I left my village behind. Somehow, Sakura found me, and she did everything she could to stop me from leaving. Blackmail, confessions...It was all too much. Tears fell from her face, and I told her 'thank you'. I knocked her out and left her on a bench. Then, Orochimaru's face clouded my mind, and the whole scene of Sakura's imprisonment flashed before my eyes. It was horrible. She was left in darkness, her hands clawed by the metal shackles containing them. But somehow, I managed to see her...smile. How could she smile when her life was slowly draining away from her? I found myself back at Konoha. It was in front of a cherry blossom orchard. It was peaceful, and the blossoms were in full bloom. It was all so beautiful. I found Sakura standing there, staring off at the distance. I began to walk towards her, when the petals turned red, and my vision was blurred. Cherry blossoms whirled around me, many dripping and stained with blood._

_"Sakura!" I called._

_Where did she go?_

_"Sakura!"_

**-:- End Dream Sequence (Normal POV)-:-**

Sasuke was woken by Sakura's constant shaking. Neji, Tenten, Ino, and Hinata (Naruto and Shikamaru were still dozing off in their beds) gathered around Sasuke and Sakura's bed, wondering what was wrong. Sakura looked at Sasuke with confusion in her eyes, wondering what made him do what he did.

"Sakura?" He asked.

Sakura nodded, and she smiled.

"Sasuke-kun, are you okay? You were screaming my name in your sleep," She asked.

Sasuke stared at her, and emerald locked with onyx. Sakura motioned for everyone else to go back to their beds, and they happily went back due to the interruption with their sleep. Sasuke stared at her, eyes wide, gripping his head in his hands, trembling with fear and confusion. Sakura was past confused. What was making him act this way? She softly placed her hands above his, gently soothing him with her touch.

"Sasuke-kun, it's alright. I'm here, it's okay," She whispered.

Sasuke seemed to calm down, but his eyes were still wide and full of confusion.

"You're...here..." He repeated.

Sakura nodded, and smiled.

"Yes, Sasuke-kun, I am here for you," She repeated.

Sasuke's eyes returned to normal, and his fear had seemed to fade.

"Sasuke-kun, are you alright? Were you dreaming?" She asked.

Sasuke nodded.

"Of what?"

"Things that I would rather not recall," He whispered.

Sakura understood, and lay back down, motioning for him to follow. Luckily, he did. Sakura understood. Even though it was Sasuke's wish to dream again, which he did, he did not like the events that were flashing through his head. She knew it had something to do with the Uchiha massacre and what had happened between her and Orochimaru. She found herself slowly being lulled to sleep by the night's silence. She cuddled next to Sasuke, and he put his hand around her waist protectively. The two snuggled together, and before sleep could overtake her, Sakura looked at Sasuke, and smiled.

"I'm here..." She whispered.

Sasuke nodded into her pink locks of hair, letting her drift off to sleep. He inhaled her scent of strawberry, and he himself was being lulled to sleep by her mesmerizing scent. His onyx orbs were locked onto the body next to him, wondering to himself how he was able to discard his feelings when a perfect girl was right in front of him the whole time. His eyes were slowly closing. But this will probably be the last time...that we can be together...until...he's dead, he thought. His trail of thought continued as he drifted off to sleep, this time however, in the serenity of a placid dream.

-:-

The morning started off with Sakura and the team arguing with each other as quietly as they could to not wake the sleeping Uchiha.

"No, Sakura, stay here! Sasuke needs _your _help, for goodness sake!" Ino yelled as quietly as she could.

"I know Sasuke-kun needs me, but you guys are working your butts off patrolling! For what? _Nothing_! Take a day off! Or _something_!" She whispered.

"Sakura, just let us do what we want! Honestly, it's nothing big!" Ino said.

Her team looked at her, as they agree with Ino, and she just sighed in frustration and gave in. They took that as a signal of her defeat, and they smiled happily. She bid them farewell as they left out the door, and she sat down by the window when they had gone. Lost in thought, she failed to notice the Uchiha stirring.

Sasuke completely awoke a few minutes after, and wondered why Sakura looked so depressed. He shifted his position on his bed, so he was on his side and could easily look at her.

"Sakura," He said.

She turned and looked at him. She smiled. Somehow, Sasuke knew she was faking it, and sighed.

"Sakura, what's wrong?" He asked.

Sakura's eyes searched him, and a frown replaced his smile. Sasuke got up from his position on the bed, and knelt down so he was eye level with her. She knew she couldn't get out of this one, now that Sasuke was standing right in front of her, basically demanding an answer with the look he was giving her. She sighed, and broke her gaze and resumed looking out the window.

"I'm...lost," She whispered.

Sasuke looked at her questioningly, and she continued.

"I...don't want you to...go away..." She said.

"What do you mean, Sakura?" Sasuke asked, even though he knew very well what he meant.

"You're...still going to...kill Itachi. And that means, that I'll be...alone again," She whispered, tears falling down from her emerald orbs.

Sasuke sighed, and drew her into an embrace. Sakura sobbed into his shirt, and her hands gripped it tightly. He ran his hand up and down her back, hoping to soothe her.

"And...then I'll be...waiting...and lost...all over...I mean...everything that's happened...so far...it's like...a dream...I can't...believe how much has changed..."

Sasuke remained silent, still trying to calm the cherry blossom down. Sakura stared at him with teary eyes, and he wiped away her tears with his thumbs.

"Don't worry Sakura...I can't take you with me when I go find Itachi, you know I can't...don't worry, you'll never be alone..." Sasuke said.

Sakura stopped crying, but was still breathing harshly. Sasuke gave her a very rare genuine smile, and Sakura blushed. She has never seen him smile before. **EVER**.

"Sakura?"

She shifted her gaze, embarrassed at her sudden breakdown. She felt hands forcing her to face him, and he softly kissed her forehead. This caused both of them to blush, Sakura's more evident, and Sasuke's barely noticeable. Sakura returned to normal, and giggled.

"Ne, Sasuke-kun! You should smile more often!"

Sakura and Sasuke laughed together, Sakura's worries forgotten.

-:-


	11. Bittersweet Departure

**Light Shaded Dream**

_Chapter 11 – Bittersweet Departure_

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

-:-

Weeks past before Sasuke was fully healed. By this time, the Konoha ninja squad had regained their trust for him, and many things returned to normal. They still went on their patrols to make sure Orochimaru was not in sight, and Sakura went with Sasuke in the forest to train.

However, the days between Sasuke and his Konoha ninja friends soon had to close. He had realized he was not strong enough to completely kill Orochimaru, and that meant he was nowhere _near _killing his brother, Itachi. Sakura noticed his, but did not let her time with him dwindle.

Sakura and Sasuke were both in the forest, this time farther away from the village, making it easier for them to sense any presence and making it harder for _anyone_ to find them. Sasuke resumed his usual training with at tree trunk, and Sakura began practicing her already-perfect chakra control, and began to brush up on her medical jutsus. Sakura noticed Sasuke's change of behavior over the weeks of her recovery, and smiled upon them. He had opened up more and more, and usually _never_ said "Hn" to her for an answer. But of course, that was still his usual answer for many others. However, today, she noticed he was distracted, his mind thinking over things, his kicks and punches doing more injury to _him_ than to the trunk.

"Sasuke-kun?" She asked.

Sasuke stopped, and turned to face her.

"Yes?" He asked.

Sakura took a deep breath. She sat down, leaning on a tree, and closed her eyes.

"Are you okay?"

His eyebrows rose in confusion, and a frown graced his lips. He sighed, and walked over to her.

"What made you think I'm _not_ okay?" He asked, sitting in front of her.

Her eyes stared into his, and she looked at him, worried.

"Your training. It's harsher. You aren't reserving your chakra like you usually do. _And_," She said, "you have more injuries on your body than the tree trunk does."

Sasuke stared into her emerald eyes, and he looked away. This is when Sakura knew something was wrong. When he couldn't say something directly to her face.

"Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke looked at her, his eyes crestfallen.

"You and everyone else needs to leave, Sakura," He said.

Sakura stared at him, unable to process what he was asking of her. Sasuke noticed this, and continued.

"Orochimaru isn't finished yet. I need to train; I need to get stronger. I barely made it alive when I first fought him. I'm still..._weak_," He replied.

_Now_, Sakura understood. Her heart fell, and she closed her eyes in attempt to stop the tears from falling.

"Oh...I see," She said, her voice cracking.

She felt Sasuke's arms wrap around her, and she returned his embrace, knowing that this may be the last time she may seem him. Thinking that he may die and she may never see him again just encouraged the tears to increase, and she was no longer to maintain them. They rolled down her face, flowing like rivers being rushed by the wind. She didn't want to leave him again. She didn't want to feel _alone_. Sakura felt warm hands brush away her tears, and she looked up and her eyes were locked into his. He smiled at her, and she attempted to smile back, but failed. Her head dug into his chest, and he could only hold her closer in an attempt to get her back to her bubbly self.

"It's okay, Sakura..." He said.

"N...no...I'll be...alone again!" She cried.

Sasuke's face softened; they had gone through this talk before. But he assumed that _this_ time, it'd probably be the _last_ time, for a very, _very_ long time.

"Sakura...remember what I promised you?" He whispered into her ear.

Sakura nodded her head in his chest, and he continued.

"I promised you, that I'd come back to you after I killed Itachi. Remember that?" He asked.

Sakura once again nodded.

"Then you know that I'd never die if I made a promise like that with you," He whispered.

That seemed to take its effect, and Sakura stopped her crying and looked up at him. He smiled at her, and she managed to smile back this time.

"So then, you know, that you'll never be alone..."

Sakura closed her eyes, and nodded.

"...Because if you feel alone, then I will too."

Sakura managed to giggle, and she wrapped her arms around Sasuke's neck, playing with his raven locks on the back of his neck. He snuggled into the crook of her neck, both content, all the words that needed to be said, said.

-:-

Nighttime fell over the Village of the Sound. Sakura's squad had long since retired to sleep in their beds, tired from their day's work of patrolling the area. Sasuke and Sakura stood next to each other, standing in front of the only cherry blossom orchard in the whole village. The stars shone above them overhead, and they enjoyed the tranquility of the night. Their fingers were laced together; their hands locked with each other.

"Sasuke-kun..." She whispered.

Sasuke looked at her crestfallen form, and silently acknowledged her to continue.

"Promise...that you won't die fulfilling your goals..."

He smiled at her, and nodded.

"I promise."

Sakura closed her eyes and smiled, breathing in the fresh air. She could accept his departure now; she knew he would never break his promise to her. Her eyes opened with a new glint, fireflies adding a beautiful glint in her emerald orbs. Sasuke loved seeing this sight; it was too beautiful and goddess-like to _ever_ forget.

"I need to go. Orochimaru will probably kill me when I show up. Hopefully, he's still weak, and I can try to..." Sasuke said.

Sakura nodded.

"Good luck," She whispered.

Tears were filling her eyes again, but this time she was able to hold them off longer. Sasuke advanced towards her, and the gap between them disappeared, the two of them locked into a chaste, passionate kiss. This time, Sakura's tears fell, full of happiness and sorrow. She pulled back, and smiled at her beloved.

"Good bye, Sasuke-kun," She said.

"'Till later, Sakura..." He whispered.

He gave her one last peck on the lips, smiled, and turned to walk away. Their hands slowly slid apart, and Sakura was left staring at his retreating form. She smiled in the darkness, the fireflies slowly moving away.

"Till then, Sasuke-kun," She whispered back.

-:-

The next morning, the squad was surprised to see Sakura sleeping alone. They all got ready, but was stopped from going on their patrol by Sakura.

"We need to go back to Konoha," She whispered, her voice low to avoid eavesdroppers from hearing.

"Why?" They all asked in unison.

"He won't be coming back until his goals are finished...so it would be pointless to stay here and put suspicions on our cover. No doubt the remaining Oto Nin that witnessed the attack will be sent out, though. I will explain to Tsunade-sama and take the blame for this," She said.

They all exchanged glances with each other, and found logic in her words, and nodded. Somehow, they knew why Sakura had come to the inn so late, and why there was no Sasuke sleeping next to her the next morning.

"Did he leave?" Naruto asked.

Everyone sweatdropped at his lack of common sense at times, and just left Sakura for the answering. She turned to face him, and smiled.

"Yes."

Naruto nodded, and he himself smiled at her.

"We'll see him later."

"Yes."

Sakura got into the bathroom to get ready, while the others made sure everything was neat and orderly before heading out.

-:-

They had made it back to Konoha safely a few days later. Everyone was surprised to see them in perfect condition, but there was no Sasuke to be found. The villagers were confused about this, but decided not to pursue it further, for they knew if it was a mistake, their Hokage would take care of it.

Sakura was immediately summoned to the Hokage's office to discuss the failed mission, leaving the others to continue on with their daily lives. She knocked three times on the door, and heard a faint "Enter", and opened the door.

"Tsunade-sama," She said.

Tsunade looked at her, and smiled. However, Sakura could sense she was in for a beating.

"Sakura. Take a seat," She said, motioning to a seat in front of her desk.

Sakura obliged, and remained silent, allowing her sensei to continue.

"Sasuke's not here," Tsunade said.

Sakura took a deep breath, and nodded.

"Yes. He won't be returning until later. I know you want to scold me for failing the mission, Tsunade-sama, but please let me explain...he has changed. He isn't so bad, Tsunade-sama. I helped him, and I know very well that could be considered treason against Konoha. But I give you permission to do what you want for my punishment, but please do not punish Neji, Tenten, Hinata, Naruto, Ino, or Shikamaru, for they did nothing wrong. It was all me," She said.

Tsunade stared at her, and sighed. She knew something like that would happen.

"It's fine...but if he threatens Konoha again, he may not be easily accepted. But _please_, Sakura. He was in your grasp. You could have brought him back. But I take it his ambitions is what made him stay, correct?"

"Yes."

Tsunade nodded, understanding the situation.

"Very well. You'll be resuming your hospital shifts tomorrow. That's all," She said.

Sakura smiled, and bowed.

"Thank you, Tsunade-sama," She said.

Her sensei returned the smile, and bid her goodbye as she walked out of the office.

It was only a bittersweet departure. She'd get over it while her mind was set to healing her patients. For now, he'd have to be pushed second in her mind, but she knew that he would always keep his promise.

-:-


	12. Solo Mission

**Light Shaded Dream**

_Chapter 12 – Solo Mission_

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

-:-

It was a year ago when Sakura last saw Sasuke. She has long gotten over being depressed, and managed to master her happiness, and zones out less and less. However, it'd be an understatement saying that Sakura 'likes' Sasuke. Her feelings for him dove deeper than that. She couldn't even be able to explain it when someone came up to her and asked about him.

Today was the last day of winter. Exactly a year ago, was when Sakura last saw Sasuke. And it was today, that she decided that she would get over her depression, and move on in life, hoping to see him once again. And when he sees her, she'll be truly happy, not faking her smiles, or faking her laughs. This time around, everything about her will be _real._ Sakura made her way to the hospital, clinging to her coat for warmth, cursing the winter's breath. However, she was happy that spring was coming. It meant that the bitter coldness would go away, and new life and warmth would grace the earth. She smiled to herself, thinking about all the wonderful cherry blossoms that could come weeks later, twirling at the steady rhythm the wind provided, filling the air with an intoxicating scent. Already, she could sense the sun's warmth beginning to increase, and already she began to watch the snow slowly thaw and turn into puddles of water to rejuvenate the plants it had killed. She sighed with relief, as she grew closer to the hospital. A blue jay landed on her shoulder as she took a shortcut through a park, and she smiled at it. It reminded her of "Mr. Blue Jay", the blue jay who would always listen to her pointless ranting during Sasuke's training. She bid him good day, and he flew off, allowing her to heal her patients. Before she completely made it to the hospital's entrance, she was interrupted.

"YOSH! SAKURA-CHAN!"

Sakura quickened her pace.

"SAKURA-CHAN! YOUR FLAMES OF YOUTH MAKE YOU EVEN MORE STUNNING EACH DAY!"

Sakura _really_ sped up. She didn't want to face _this_ guy. Not right now. She respected him as a good friend, but he _seriously_ needed to find someone else to obsess over. Taking in a deep breath, Sakura turned around, and smiled.

"Lee, if you don't mind, I need to work now. So I'll talk to you later," She said.

The man with the bushy eyebrows, shiny bowl-cut hair, wearing the green spandex, smiled, and a faint _PING!_ Could be heard as his teeth glistened.

"Heal your patients with your flames of youth! Gai-sensei awaits me!"

Konoha's Green Beast disappeared in a cloud of dust, and minutes later, faint shouts of "GAI-SENSEI!" and "LEE!" could be heard. Sakura sweatdropped at her friend and his sensei's antics, and she just made her way into the hospital.

The hospital was unusually busy today, with nurses and medical ninja rushing to and fro, from room to room. The hallways were cluttered with rolling carts and people, making it hard for Sakura to push through. She finally made it to the receptionist's desk, and smiled.

"Good morning, Haruno-san! Hyuuga-san and Tenten-san are waiting in Room 213. They requested your assistance," The receptionist said.

Sakura nodded in thanks, and rushed off to Room 213. She made it after several clashes with nurses and carts, and opened the door, to find a very pissed off Neji and a very pissed off Tenten in the middle of a glaring contest.

"Er...what brings you two here?" Sakura asked.

The couple looked at her, and Neji's glare turned into a smirk as he explained.

"Tenten exhausted herself while training, so I brought her here to make sure she was okay," He said.

Tenten was red due to embarrassment and _anger_, and she was about to punch Neji, when he stopped her by grabbing her fist.

"Neji, I do _not_ need any medical treatment!" Tenten screamed.

Neji only smirked at her, and Sakura advanced slowly, hoping not to anger Tenten further.

"Tenten, just let me take a look at you, okay?" Sakura asked.

Tenten sighed, and calmed down, allowing Sakura to give her a check up. After several minutes, Sakura finished, and dug into her pocket, and took out a bottle. She took out a transparent blue pill, and handed it to Tenten.

"You just exhausted your chakra a little, nothing big. Just take this; it will restore your chakra back to normal in no time. Just be sure to take it easy for the next four hours," Sakura said.

Tenten nodded, and took the pill. She took the glass of water standing on the nightstand, and swallowed the pill, accompanied by the water. Tenten smiled in relief, feeling her energy slowly come to her.

"Thanks Sakura!"

Sakura smiled, and nodded.

"Sure, no problem. Well, I have more patients to tend to, so I'll see you guys later!"

The three said their good-byes as Sakura disappeared. Tenten looked to Neji, and smiled.

"Looks like she's back to normal," She said.

Neji looked at her, silently asking for an explanation.

"She's not faking it."

He understood, and the two left the hospital to look for more weapons.

-:-

Sakura's day was filled with healing ANBU who returned from their missions, but as nighttime fell, her shift soon ended, and she made her way home. The last winter breezes shook the air, bringing the village a soothing breeze. She walked slowly down the streets, wondering what Sasuke was doing at the very moment. She sighed, and stopped as she approached the end of the private Uchiha section of the village. It had long been deserted, and nobody dared claim the property theirs. They somehow knew that _if _Sasuke returned, it would _definitely_ mean their death. So the trees and gardens were withering away, the manor filled with cobwebs and insects. Sakura stared at it for a while, and decided to enter. It was a beautiful place. Somehow, looking at it, it made her think of the Yamanakas; if the flowers and gardens were in full bloom, it would be like a fairytale. She made her way to the entrance to the mansion, and slowly opened the door. The house was filled with a bloody, decaying stench, and Sakura gagged. She left the door open in hope to let fresh air flow through the house. She made her way down the halls, surprised at how big at was, and how easy it would to get lost. She found many rooms, dusty, old, and red; she supposed the red was the dry blood left over from the massacre. Looking at such a sight made her heartbreak; she felt what it must have been like, to look over the bloody bodies of her relatives. In what seemed like an eternity, she reached what seemed the biggest room of the house. Instinct told her it was Sasuke's parent's room, and she bravely entered the room. Luckily for her, the bodies have long been buried, but she still saw the bloody stains. The room was a clattered mess. Kunai, shuriken, senbon, basically _anything_ was impaled on the walls. Picture frames were cracked, but there lay one on the ground, in the middle of a pool of dry blood. She picked it up, almost throwing up, as she heard the cracking as it separated from the pool. Spitting on the cracked glass, she was able to remove the blood over the picture, and gasped. It was a picture of a young Uchiha Sasuke, riding on the back of his older brother, Uchiha Itachi. Sasuke and Itachi looked so happy, it was a wonder why those days had come to an end. Tears began to fall from her face, wishing that none of that day had ever happened, and that Sasuke had grown up like a normal kid, with a loving family, and a loving brother. She picked up the frame, and took it with her, silently asking for forgiveness from the deceased Uchiha for taking a possession. The frame was held close to her body as she exited the Uchiha grounds, and she made her way home, thinking.

On her way home, Sakura passed Sasuke's old apartment. She had reserved it and had been paying off the rent to make sure that it would not be bought by someone else, and decided to go inside. The house was still clean; she came everyday to make sure everything was clean and fresh, just in case he'd show up and need a place to stay. Finding the coffee table in the middle of the room, she placed the picture there, feeling that this was the rightful place for it to stay. Making sure the place was not robbed, she left, securely locking the door behind her.

Sakura made it home in half an hour, taking her time from getting to her house from Sasuke's. Sometimes, she'd imagine Sasuke standing in front of her, walking, smiling, and talking to her. That just showed her how much she longed to see him. However, she knew that was only a fantasy, and he'd only show up when he fulfilled his goal. Knowing him, he probably would have killed Orochimaru by now, and would just be training and searching for his brother. Opening the door to her house, she quickly changed into her pajamas, and crawled into her bed, pulling the covers over her, snuggling close to them, hoping to find stronger warmth.

It was midnight when Sakura heard a bird screech outside her window, and she hastily got up and ran to the Hokage's office. She had been summoned. Tapping three times on the door, she heard a drowsy "Enter", and she opened the door, to find the Hokage showered with towers of scrolls atop her desk. She sat down, and the Hokage handed her a scroll.

"There have been sightings of Sasuke up in the mountains. Your mission is to bring him back. I know this is sudden, but you will be leaving at 7:00 AM sharp in the morning. This will be a solo mission, as a squad would probably slow you down," The Hokage said.

Sakura stared at her wide-eyed, and reread the scroll several times.

"Understood."

"Good. Now get some sleep for your mission."

Sakura nodded, and vanished after performing hand seals. She reappeared in her house, and made her way to her bed. She placed the scroll with mission details on her nightstand, and crawled back into bed. _Another mission to find Sasuke, _she thought. _I guess Tsunade-sama really wants him back..._ She smiled inwardly to herself. _But I guess I do too._

-:-


	13. Twisted Nightmare

**Light Shaded Dream**

_Chapter 13 – Twisted Nightmare_

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

-:-

Sakura left Konoha at 7:00 AM sharp in the morning, leaving a note at each of her friend's houses to let them know of her absence. She felt a bittersweet feeling inside of her as she jumped from tree to tree, making her way over to the mountains. She would miss her friends, for she knew this mission would be a long mission, but she was also glad that she might be able to see Sasuke again. She hoped he hadn't changed from last time, since it took her so long to establish that relationship with him.

The breath of the first day of spring brought her happiness and joy. It was finally her favorite season. The spring brought back the life of the earth; it thawed the snow, and the green would finally grow vibrant and show off. It gave her motivation to move faster, but she knew she couldn't exhaust her chakra so quickly, or else her mission would take much longer than it should have. All she could do was move at a steady pace and enjoy the fresh, spring air surrounding her.

-:-

Sasuke was training in the clearing in the mountains, where he been training after leaving Sakura. He continued to train and train, his skills getting sharper and more powerful. Looking at the trees made him think of Sakura, and it made him wonder if she missed him at all. Yesterday marked the one-year they were apart from each other. But today, he enjoyed the spring air about him, and continued to train. However, he knew that today would not be a day frolicking in the flowers, because today was the designated day that the man's life was marked to end.

"Sasuke."

Sasuke let the voice go through his left ear and out his right. He didn't care about what this person had to say.

"_Sasuke_."

Sasuke let out a sigh, and he turned around. He faced his angry sensei, and smirked.

"Hn."

His sensei had such a short-temper with him, and he _loved_ it. It was definitely an advantage for him.

"_Sasuke_," he hissed.

"_Yes_, Orochimaru-_sensei_?" He asked, adding sarcasm to anger him further.

Orochimaru stared at him, his chakra rising due to his built-up rage. He threw kunai and pinned Sasuke to the trunk he was practicing on, and began walking towards him, preparing hand seals. Sasuke let him come within reach, focused chakra to his feet, and kicked him. This time, his kick nearly left a hole in Orochimaru's stomach due to his newfound strength from training, and he was able to break himself free by focusing chakra to his hands. He whipped out kunai, and charged them with chakra. Only one hit Orochimaru. It impaled his chest, and Orochimaru was left staring at the ground, dumbfounded. He did hand seals, and managed to grab Sasuke, but Sasuke was prepared. He had been prepared for this day long ago. He threw shuriken at his sensei, causing him to lose his grip. Many of them struck his sensei's skin, and he threw one last kunai to the heart.

"_Bye, sensei,_" He hissed.

Orochimaru stared at him, and fell.

-:-

It was well into the afternoon when Sakura stopped to rest by a stream. She could see the mountain ranges clearly now, and decided to follow the stream up into the mountains when she was finished resting. She filled her canteens with water, and began to drink. The coldness soothed her dry throat, and she continued to drink her fill until she was satisfied. The new, spring sun shone high above her, showering her with the new season's warmth. Happy that she no longer had to travel in the cold weather, she set out once more, following the stream's path into the mountains.

Nighttime overtook the skies, and Sakura made her camp hidden in a forest next to the running stream. The forest was well near the base of the mountain range, so she would be able to begin her search with fresh energy. She made a small fire, and began to cook fish she had caught a while ago. Being hungry, she immediately devoured the cooked fish, and lay down on her makeshift mattress, staring up at the stars. She saw a shooting star, and made a wish. _I wish that I can see Sasuke-kun soon, and that he still feels the same way about me as he did a year ago._

-:-

Sasuke made camp in a forest up in the mountains. It was near a running stream, giving him easy access to water if he needed it. He stared up at the stars, and smiled. Their shining glory reminded him so much of Sakura's eyes, bright and beautiful. Just at that moment, he saw a shooting star. _I wish that I can see Sakura soon, and that she still remembers me and feels the same way..._ He felt childish wishing on a star, but he didn't mind. It was nice to be free from the curse mark; it was nice to be let free from the cage that held him in for so long. He lay down on his makeshift mattress, and closed his eyes, thinking about the one that melted his ice...

-:-

Sakura awoke at sunrise, and began to pack up her camp. She made sure her mattress was well spread-out, and there were no traces of her being there before completely leaving. Satisfied, she set off for her ascent up the mountain. The fresh spring breeze was even better up in the mountains, making it easier for her to focus and concentrate.

-:-

Sasuke awoke a few hours after sunrise, and right away began to train. He needed to freshen up his skills, even _if_ they were all nearly perfect. He had a feeling that he would need them later that day. Having found a perfect clearing, he began by perfecting his taijustu skills. His kicks and punches have grown to a nearly perfect accuracy with deadly force. He then followed that up by ninjutsu. He began by the simple jutsus he already mastered, and made his way up until he was to perfect multiple chidori. Making sure not to blow up the whole forest, he charged with a fully charged chidori in his hand, blasting the poor tree trunk to pieces.

Taking a rest from training, Sasuke sat down at the foot of a tree, leaning onto its firm trunk. He was regaining the chakra he used from his training while taking in the fresh air encompassing him. He was thinking. Thinking about revenge, thinking about life, thinking about _her_. Somehow, he knew that both his goals would be accomplished right after another. Avenging his clan, and to restore his clan, two _very_ ambitious goals. Sensing a strong presence behind him, he readied himself, almost restoring his full chakra. However, this chakra was vaguely familiar to him. It was remarkably strong, and he was panicking inside. _It could..._

"Well...who knew we'd meet again so..._soon_," The voice whispered.

The voice was unfamiliar, yet it was _familiar_. It was hoarse and rash due to the previous season's coldness. Sasuke turned around, and was taken aback. It was _him_.

"Surprised, little brother? I wouldn't think you'd be wandering around here. But it's too sad," The voice said, "Because I've just been ordered to _kill_ you."

Sasuke stared wide-eyed, his pent-up emotions and anger flowing through him.

"_Itachi._"

The man who looked so much like Sasuke stared at him, and smiled. It was smile full of evil pleasures, but there was a hint of sadness and confusion hidden within.

"Sasuke-_kun_, your ambitions to kill me have brought you very far…"

Sasuke continued to stare. He couldn't take it anymore. Accomplishment was right in front of him.

"But sadly, my only family left _must die_, even _if_ it is completely out of my character to _kill_."

Those words brought forth a rushed battle. The older Uchiha charged for his little brother. Both their Sharingan had been activated. Itachi began performing hand seals, and Sasuke imitated them. Both blew out fire from their mouths; their equal strengths causing a massive explosion.

Sakura stopped in her tracks as she felt a humongous explosion erupt around her. She knew it wasn't natural for _that _to go on in the mountains. She quickly made her way towards its source...

The fight continued on. Itachi and Sasuke were equally wounded; their strength almost evenly matched. Sasuke ran towards his brother, and began the Lion's Barrage technique. Itachi, after being kicked into the air, quickly retaliated by blowing out fireballs, causing Sasuke to lose his momentum and land on the ground. Sasuke threw kunai up in the air, only to have them reflected. The two brothers faced each other, their strength slowly draining. Sasuke began building up his chidori, while Itachi began performing a long line of hand seals. Sasuke's chidori finished charging, and he ran forth. His brother was still performing his hand seals, and the chidori and Itachi clashed. The chidori missed its target, however, and Itachi's shoulder was nearly cut off. Blood stained the newly found grass, and had even reached Sasuke and Itachi's faces.

Sakura found a clearing, where she could smell a strong stench of blood. Looking in, she nearly died from a heart attack. Uchiha Sasuke and Uchiha Itachi were fighting. Itachi's shoulder was nearly cut off from what seemed Sasuke's chidori, and both were covered in a tremendous amount of blood. Silently, she inched forward...

Itachi recovered from his brother's attack, and smiled. It seemed he could not feel the pain of his gaping wound, and it did not bother him that he was basically bleeding to death. He began to laugh, maniacally like a madman. Sasuke just continued to stare at him, panting due to the force of the chidori. His strength was nearly gone; it was all wasted in his training. He was unable to produce another chidori without more rest, so all the attacks Itachi would throw at him he would just have to evade. Itachi closed his eyes, and Sasuke panicked. It was obvious he was going to bring forth the Mangekyou Sharingan. Before he knew what hit him, he was knocked to the ground, landing flat on his face. At that moment, Itachi opened his eyes, the Mangekyou Sharingan visible. A scream of a girl was heard. Sasuke immediately recovered, as the girl's scream was familiar. He looked up and saw Sakura lying on the ground, her hands clutching her head, her emerald orbs wide, and her body trembling with fear.

"Well, looks like this girl took the attack for you. Hm...and I wanted you to relive everything. I guess I'll just make her relive all the pain she went through..." Itachi said.

Sasuke stared at him, bloodlust escaping into his eyes. He _needed_ this man dead. He _craved_ his blood. Finding his strength, he quickly created another chidori, and ran forth towards his brother once more. Itachi, too occupied with what happened, failed to notice Sasuke building his jutsu up until it was too late. The last image he saw was the blinding light and Sasuke's blood lusty face. He fell to the ground, a gaping hole taking place of his heart, his corpse bathing in a pool of blood.

-:-

Sasuke managed to find a hidden cave in the mountain, and he took Sakura there. She was still trembling and shivering, tears falling down her face, hands tightly clutching her head. All he could do was take care of her body, for he knew the Mangekyou Sharingan was impossible to dispel. Sakura would have to be powerless, broken, and ill for a few days until the effects wore off.

He watched her in pain, crying, trembling, and shivering. How it hurt him to watch her in pain, but there was nothing he could do.

_It's all my fault...I've been putting you through all this pain..._

He looked at her, and tears fell from his onyx orbs.

"It's all my fault, Sakura. I'm so sorry..." He whispered, hoping she could still hear him.

**-:- Sakura in the effects of the Mangekyou Sharingan (Sakura's POV) -:-**

_I was running. Running away from death, running away from pain. But no matter what corner or turn I rounded, no matter how fast I ran, a kunai managed to find my body, and impale itself through me. The pain was more than I could bear. But still, I ran. I was in a world of endless darkness; I could only see so far. I kept reliving seeing a mangled Sasuke on the floor, dead, bathing in his own pools of blood. Every time I rounded a corner, it was the same image over and over again. I hated seeing this. It made me gag and die inside. I couldn't take this. How long would I have to put up with this? Oh yeah...the Mangekyou Sharingan basically lasts 3 days..._

_My eyes, by this time, were stuck wide. The sight of a dead Sasuke had glued them in that state. This pain, I don't think I will ever be able to cope with this again. Why was I so stupid to go in front of a **Mangekyou Sharingan **attack? I mean... that's suicide. Oh yeah...being in love makes you do stupid things. But I'm fine with that. I'd rather be **living **this than watching **Sasuke** trembling in fear. _

_Running, running. I'm always stuck in this twisted dreamland. It was a nightmare. Blood, blood, death, death. It was written...everywhere. I kept hearing Sasuke's voice, but I still felt the pain._

"_It's all my fault, Sakura. I'm so sorry..." I kept hearing him say those words. And every time I thought of him, another dead Sasuke would appear in the darkness. When will I get out of this twisted nightmare?_

**-:- End Sakura-:-**

Sasuke continued to stare at her; sorry that he had ever brought her into this mess. He felt that she could hear him, but knew that even if she _could_, she would still have to go through the pain.

"I'm so sorry, Sakura..." He whispered.

-:-


	14. Shady Memories

**Light Shaded Dream**

_Chapter 14 – Shady Memories_

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

-:-

Naruto, Hinata, Ino, Shikamaru, Tenten, Neji, Chouji, and Lee all made their way to Ichiraku. Today was their day off, so Naruto had suggested spending the day with each other. Shikamaru and Neji both disagreed at first, but were forced to come along by Ino and Tenten. The day was fresh and new; the spring air bringing new batches of freshness each second.

"I wonder how Sakura's doing," Ino wondered out loud.

Tenten looked at her, and frowned.

"I do too. I wonder if everything's going all right..." Tenten said.

Everyone shrugged their shoulders in defeat, and all continued to wonder what had happened to the pink-haired kunoichi. Somehow, they all had managed to have this air of uneasiness about them.

-:-

Three days had passed since Itachi's death, and Sakura was slowly recovering from the effects of the Mangekyou Sharingan. Sasuke had not been able to do anything about her pain, but he had made sure that her body was safe in her weak state. After many days, Sakura began to stir. She felt a wet cloth over her forehead, and tried to sit up, but fell down. She hated this feeling. She hated feeling weak. Noticing a small pain in her forehead, she groaned in frustration. Her memories were shaded and cloudy, and she longed to remember what had happened to her. Her instincts snapped as she heard someone coming behind her, and she panicked.

"Who-who are you?" She quietly asked.

Sasuke tensed, as his presence was not recognized. Something was wrong.

"Sakura, what are you talking about?" He asked, worry escaping his voice.

Sakura turned around and faced him. Her eyes were dull, as if every memory she had made up the emerald shine in her orbs. She blushed as her mind had told her this was a new face, a _hot_ face.

"Who's Sakura?"

Sasuke's heart fell, and managed to force a small smile escape his lips. He knew what had happened.

It seems like the trauma from the events caused her memories to fade. Hopefully, they will soon grow back...

He pointed his index finger to himself, and smiled.

"I am U-chi-ha Sa-su-ke," He said slowly, sounding out the syllables clearly.

"Uchiha Sasuke-san," Sakura repeated.

"You can call me Sa-su-ke."

Sakura nodded.

"Sasuke-san."

Sasuke then moved his index finger and put it over her heart.

"You are Ha-ru-no Sa-ku-ra," He slowly said.

Sakura slowly took her hand and placed it over Sasuke's finger.

"I am Haruno Sakura," She repeated.

Sasuke removed his finger from her body, and nodded.

"Sasuke-san, where are we?"

"We are a few days away from a village named Konoha."

Sakura mouthed 'oh', and looked off into the distance. She longed to remember what had happened to her. Something felt so...right next to the man she had just met. She felt a longing and happiness with this man, and she liked the feeling she received. She knew she could trust him, even if they had just met. Wondering more about her shady past, she saw meat shoved in front of her face, and her trail of thought was disrupted.

"Sasuke-san, what is this?" She asked, taking the piece of meat slowly, obviously hesitating on what to do with it.

Sasuke noticed this, and slowly took a piece of his, and took a bite, and began to chew. Sakura mimicked him, and smiled contently as the wave of flavor washed through her mouth.

"You like it?" Sasuke asked, noticing the content smile on his cherry blossom's face.

Sakura nodded and continued to eat, watching the world continue on around her. Sasuke let her be, classifying it as unnecessary to interrupt her trails of thought. She did just lose her memories, after all.

Night slowly fell among them, and Sasuke lay down next to Sakura, staring off at the stars above them. The day was filled with familiarizing Sakura with the many objects, and he was tired. He was never so patient with anything in his life. Noticing Sakura looking at him, he placed his hands under his head, and looked at her from the corner of his eye. Sakura noticed this, and blushed, looking away, too embarrassed to do anything else. Sasuke frowned inwardly to himself, and continued to look off at the stars. He had been soothed by their serene demeanor, and always felt safe around them.

"Sasu...Sasuke-san?"

Sasuke looked at Sakura, her soft voice interrupting his trail of thought.

"Yes?"

Sakura blushed, and dug her face in her hands (she was lying down sideways, with her hands supporting her head, her arm flat against the ground...yeah...shady description. Sorry! D: ), and timidly looked at him.

"Are you...are you okay?" She quietly asked.

Sasuke looked at her, and smiled.

"I'm fine, Sakura."

"But...you looked so...sad."

This time, Sasuke stared at her. His onyx eyes looked into her, and he looked away, focusing on the stars.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you upset," Sakura whispered.

Sasuke shifted his gaze to the cherry blossom once more, and smiled, making her world brighter.

"I'm sorry if I've been zoning out. The stars just give me comfort in many things," He said.

Inwardly, he was shooting himself. He never knew the day would come when he would sound so childish. Sakura looked at him, confused.

"If you don't mind me asking, Sasuke-san...comfort for what?"

Sasuke took a deep breath, and closed his eyes.

"I'd always hope that the people I had left were safe and living under the same stars I did. My Kaa-san would always look at the stars before. She loved them..."

"Where is your Kaa-san now?"

Sasuke opened his eyes, and winced, managing to smile at Sakura.

"She's...in a better place. She died with dignity...and respect...and she didn't deserve to die at all..." Sasuke whispered.

Sakura frowned. She had hit a delicate subject, and she didn't like the uneasiness she was making him feel. She wondered about her friend's mother, and his whole family.

"Do you...do you have any family left, Sasuke-san?"

Sasuke looked at her, closed his eyes, and smiled.

"No."

Sakura basically killed herself there. This conversation was making her feel guiltier every question she asked.

"I'm sorry," She quietly whispered.

Sasuke shook his head, and assured her it was fine. He had not minded the intrusion at all; he was finally able to speak happily about the death of his relatives without clenching his fists in anger or killing off the questioner.

"I'm sleepy..."

Sakura yawned, and laid straight on her back, using the leaves Sasuke had gathered as a pillow.

"Good night, Sasuke-san..."

She closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep. Sasuke stared at her sleeping figure, and smiled.

"Good night, Sakura-chan..." He whispered, kissing her on her forehead.

He gave the stars one last glance, before he allowed himself to consciously fall asleep.

**-:- Sakura's Dream / Flashback -:-**

"_Sasuke-kun! Let's go—"_

"_No. You're annoying." _

_The heartthrob of Konoha, Uchiha Sasuke, began to walk away from Sakura. Sakura stood there, holding back the threatening tears in her eyes. She clenched her fists in anger; but a smile formed on her lips. Her palms began bleeding as her fingers dug into her skin, but she continued to smile. _

"_Sakura, you're bleeding." He said._

_She didn't hear him. She continued to let the warm blood drip from her skin and fall onto the roots of the beautiful tree, staining its bark with her sullen blood. Her smile remained on her face._

"_Sakura, you look like an idiot smiling and bleeding," He said._

_She didn't hear him once more. Her anger grew into rage, and her fingers continued to dig into her palm. She laughed to herself, and brought her hand up to her heart. Her hand unrolled, and she pushed her palm over her shirt. Blood stained her shirt and bled down to her skin, rolling down her body._

"_My heart bleeds, Sasuke-kun," She said._

_The boy just stares at her, holding back his emotions and keeping his emotionless face, unable to bring himself to say anything to her. Sakura then realized what she was doing, and stared at her bleeding palm._

"_Oh my...did I say anything, Sasuke-kun? Why am I...bleeding?" _

_She looked up at her crush, back down at her palm, and then saw her shirt stained with blood. She felt the liquid crawling down her leg, and shivered at its warm touch._

"_Sasuke-kun, did I do something? Did you make me bleed?" _

_Her mind was unaware of what had happened to her. While her rage had taken over her, she had gotten paranoid, seemingly pulled into a trance that had acted upon her bottled up emotions. Her heart and mind was telling her that something was wrong, but the two didn't mean the same thing. Her mind was telling her she was bleeding and that she would die if she couldn't stop it, but her heart was telling her it was bleeding, that Sasuke was just a heartthrob full of ice, and that he was worth nothing, but that he was also worth everything. Sakura was plunged into emotional confusion._

"_Sakura. Sakura?" He called._

_His voice trailed off through her ears, and she fell to the cold ground, her smile still gracing her lips._

**-:- End Dream Sequence / Flashback -:-**

Sakura awoke in the middle of the night, startled. She jolted upright, and looked around. Seeing Sasuke, she sighed contently, and lay back down.

"Go back to sleep," She heard.

Surprised, she jumped up, and settled down when she realized it was her friend that had told her to go back to sleep.

"How did you know I was awake Sasuke-kun?" She asked.

He turned to face her, and smiled, his face hiding sorrow behind the gesture of happiness.

"I can't sleep, remember? Not until...everything's back to normal. So go back to sleep. You need rest, Sakura," He said.

Sakura nodded, and closed her eyes.

"Good night, Sasuke-kun...stay safe..."

She drifted off to sleep once more, leaving a confused Sasuke staring at her sleeping form.

_Did she just call me Sasuke-kun again?_

-:-

Sorry there was a lot of dialogue! x-x


	15. Recovery

**Light Shaded Dream**

_Chapter 15 – Recovery_

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

-:-

Sakura awoke in the morning to find herself alone on the cold floor, the sun's spring warmth barely penetrating through the cave walls. She yawned, and got up from the floor, and walked over to the entrance. The spring freshness intrigued her. The cave was located in the midst of a small forest and groves, the environment bringing in the placid feeling of safety. Sakura left the shelter, and began to wander into a grove. This grove particularly intrigued her. It was of an alien tree to her; its bark dark and buds showing on the branches. Unknowingly, she was touching her favorite tree, the one that had given her the name. Somehow, it gave her a feeling of despair that she had swallowed up and hidden away. Hearing the echoes of water resound through her ears, she began to follow the sound, taking in the spring air around her. Reaching a steady river, she saw Sasuke sitting inside, seemingly lost in thought. Blushing at the sight of his well-toned muscles, she began to turn and return to the cave, but was stopped.

"It's okay. You can stay if you want, Sakura."

Sakura swallowed her fear and embarrassment and walked towards him. Taking off her sandals, she dipped her feet in the cold water. It felt good; it was soothing her sore muscles and cleansing her of her confusion.

"I'm...sorry, Sasuke-kun..." She whispered.

Sasuke looked at her from the corner of his eye, and smirked.

"It's fine. By the way, what's with calling me 'Sasuke-kun' all of a sudden?" He asked.

Sakura blushed.

"I...don't know. The words unknowingly slip out of my mouth. Like it's a habit of mine..."

Sasuke nodded.

"I see. Do you ever wonder about what you used to be?" He silently asked.

Sakura looked at him, and closed her eyes, breathing in the serenity around her. A smile formed on her lips, and she slowly nodded.

"Of course. I want to know...why I get these feelings..." She whispered.

"I see."

Sakura nodded, and swallowed.

"But...I've been getting these weird dreams. Like, they're my past. Even...you were in it. I don't understand. How have you known me, Sasuke-kun? Was I...important to you?" She whispered.

Sasuke winced, and looked at her. A small upward curve formed on his lips, and he stared into her emerald eyes.

"Your dreams are probably your memories slowly flooding to you. Don't worry, in time...you'll probably remember again. Even if an event causes you to remember, or even if it's the last dream...you'll probably remember again. You were my teammate, once. Then, I left for power, and we met again when you were sent on a mission with the old squads to retrieve me. ...Yes...you are important to me," Sasuke said, saying the last few words very, very silently.

Sakura slowly nodded, and her body snapped upright as her eyes widened. Something was flashing before her eyes...

-**:- Memory -:-**

_Nighttime fell over the Village of the Sound. Sakura's squad had long since retired to sleep in their beds, tired from their day's work of patrolling the area. Sasuke and Sakura stood next to each other, standing in front of the only cherry blossom orchard in the whole village. The stars shone above them overhead, and they enjoyed the tranquility of the night. Their fingers were laced together; their hands locked with each other. _

"_Sasuke-kun..." She whispered._

_Sasuke looked at her crestfallen form, and silently acknowledged her to continue. _

"_Promise...that you won't die fulfilling your goals..." _

_He smiled at her, and nodded._

"_I promise." _

_Sakura closed her eyes and smiled, breathing in the fresh air. She could accept his departure now; she knew he would never break his promise to her. Her eyes opened with a new glint, fireflies adding a beautiful glint in her emerald orbs. Sasuke loved seeing this sight; it was too beautiful and goddess-like to ever forget. _

"_I need to go. Orochimaru will probably kill me when I show up. Hopefully, he's still weak, and I can try to..." Sasuke said. _

_Sakura nodded. _

"_Good luck," She whispered._

_Tears were filling her eyes again, but this time she was able to hold them off longer. Sasuke advanced towards her, and the gap between them disappeared, the two of them locked into a chaste, passionate kiss. This time, Sakura's tears fell, full of happiness and sorrow. She pulled back, and smiled at her beloved._

"_Good bye, Sasuke-kun," She said. _

"'_Till later, Sakura..." He whispered. _

_He gave her one last peck on the lips, smiled, and turned to walk away. Their hands slowly slid apart, and Sakura was left staring at his retreating form. She smiled in the darkness, the fireflies slowly moving away. _

"_Till then, Sasuke-kun," She whispered back._

**-:- End Memory -:-**

Sakura fell on her back, her eyes closed. She was still conscious, but her strength seemed to be temporarily drained from her. She felt being picked up, and it felt like she was flying. Instinctively knowing who was carrying her, she wrapped her arms around her neck for support, and smiled.

"Thank you, Sasuke-kun..." She whispered.

Everything went black.

-:-

Sakura awoke, as the sun was about to set. She noticed Sasuke at the mouth of the cave, staring off into the distance. Rubbing her temples as if she had just experienced a major migraine, she stood up, and made her way to sit next to him. Noticing her presence, Sasuke turned around, and smiled, welcoming her to sit next to him. She nodded, and sat down, looking off at the orange-hued sky.

"It's beautiful, Sasuke-kun..." She whispered.

Sasuke looked at her, and smiled.

"You know what's more beautiful than the sunset, Sakura?" He asked.

Sakura shifted her gaze from the scenery, and looked at Sasuke.

"What?"

Sasuke looked into her emerald orbs, and smiled once more.

"Cherry blossoms. They live short lives, but they're beautiful every single second they live. They're fragile, but strong too. You have to take care of them, or else they'll wither away."

"Oh. I wonder how the cherry blossoms look..." She whispered.

Sasuke put his hand in his pocket, feeling for something. Finding it, he gently pulled out the same cherry blossom, and handed it to her.

"Here. I know it's withered away and bloody...but it was important to you once."

Sakura stared at it, and was flooded with images flashing through her mind as her hand made contact with the withered flower.

**-:- Memory -:-**

_Her mind did not know where her body was taking her. She just blindly followed herself until she reached the gates. There she found her crush – her love, with his back turned to her, ready to part. She ran to him, and he turned around. She found the surprise in his eyes, and realized that something was wrong. She did everything she could do to stop him, but to no avail. His eyes searched her one last time, and he reappeared behind her. _

"_Thank you," He muttered._

_He hit her; knocked her senseless. He placed her on a bench, where she lay there, 'slumbering' peacefully like the angel he thought she was. He held a cherry blossom in his hand; he kept this blossom with him always. He kissed its petals and placed it in her palm, and closed her hand, making sure she did not lose the blossom. He turned and left, leaving his precious blossom behind._

_**-:-**_

_Sakura looked at the delicate flower in her hand, and smiled. She had never known where it had come from, but deep inside, her heart was telling her it was part of the one she dearly loved. She had since followed her heart, and there she was, holding the delicate flower in her palm. Putting it back to its place on the dresser, she changed into her nightclothes, and went to bed, resting for the mission that lay ahead of her. _

**-:- End Memory -:-**

Sakura held the blossom in her hands, and smiled. It gave her a feeling of need and despair, but she knew she would be able to overcome the fear and the despair as long as _he _was with her. Gently keeping it in her palm, she smiled.

"I didn't know you picked it up..." She whispered.

Sasuke looked away, embarrassed, and gazed at the almost-invisible sun.

"Hn..."

Sakura laughed, and playfully punched him.

"Don't make that a habit, Sasuke-kun!"

Sasuke laughed, and Sakura followed. Her childish antics would never be forgotten.

"I won't."

He smiled, and Sakura's world remained lit, even though the sun was invisible.

-:-

Pretty short chapter, I think. Anywho, if you're wondering why they haven't returned to Konoha yet...it'll be mentioned in the next chapter. (:


	16. Welcome Home

**Light Shaded Dream**

_Chapter 16 – Welcome Home  
_

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

-:-

Sakura awoke at dawn the next morning, finding herself positioned next to Sasuke. Not wanting to get up from her spot, she began to look around her. So much has happened to her, but there were still so many feelings that she can't remember. She wanted to remember so much. Slowly removing Sasuke's arm from her waist, she got up, to find Sasuke's eyes closed, but still sensed his complete consciousness. Getting up, she walked over to the mouth of the cave, staring at the newly blooming cherry blossoms. She liked that tree; the blossoms were so beautiful and fragile.

"Sakura."

She turned around and found Sasuke walking towards her. She smiled at him, and turned her body once more to experience the sunrise.

"Good morning, Sasuke-kun," She whispered.

Sasuke stood next to her, and he smirked.

"Sasuke-kun...Ko-konoha...when are we going back?" She asked.

He stared at her, wondering how she was able to name the village.

"I had a dream last night...well...I regained a memory again. But it was a really big one. I re-met Tenten, Ino, Hinata, Shikamaru, Naruto, Neji, _everyone that I knew before!_ I want to go back and...see Konoha. It is such a beautiful place..."

"When you regain everything..."

Sakura frowned.

"But won't that...take a while?"

"Who knows? At the rate you're regaining your memories, it wouldn't be a surprise if you were completely brought back into true consciousness by tomorrow."

"Oh, I see."

Sasuke smiled at her, and her frown disappeared.

-:-

Sakura sat between the roots of a cherry blossom tree, watching Sasuke train. She was amazed at his abilities and strength, and felt safer around him knowing his skill. The wind gently brought a soft breeze to grace them, and the withered petals were dancing with the rhythm. Sakura caught one, and smiled. She was regaining her memories slowly; it was getting clearer and clearer as she tried to remember things. Sasuke sensed this, and let her regain her memories in peace, continuing to silently train as Sakura's past was unclouded. He knew that the real Sakura was sleeping inside this one, just waiting to awaken as if nothing had happened.

"Sasuke-kun, you should rest," Sakura said.

Sasuke looked at her, and smirked, wiping sweat from his forehead.

"I'm fine."

But he knew that he had already exhausted his chakra, and could collapse at any moment if he tried to do any jutsu.

"But I can sense your chakra at its lowest."

Sasuke sighed, giving in. Taking a seat next to his cherry blossom, he took a look at her. Her once dull emerald eyes were returning back to their vibrant green color by the second. He smiled at this.

"Sasuke-kun?"

Breaking his gaze by closing his eyes, and evened out his breaths. Then, he felt a warm glow emit into his chest, and opened his eyes to a vibrant green emitting from Sakura's hand. He felt a new flow of strength seep into him, and looked at her, surprised that she regained her ability to use her medical skills.

"Thank you," He whispered.

Sakura nodded, and smiled.

-:-

Night fell over the mountains, and the stars glistened in the obsidian sky. Sasuke stared up at the serene sky, envying the tranquility of space. Sakura was next to him, silently dozing off on his shoulder. Her memories were almost complete, and she would regain consciousness soon. Sasuke knew this, and decided that he would cherish the welcome he would give to Sakura when she came back. Staring up at the stars, he smiled. The night's breath gently blew past, and Sasuke stopped himself from shivering. Mumbling to himself about how Sakura would always sleep on his shoulder, leaving him sore and in pain the next day, he slowly shifted his position to make it more comfortable for the both of him. Sakura moved as she felt the shift, and hugged his torso, still sleeping. Sasuke inwardly smiled, loving the sight he was seeing.

Sasuke was up and about earlier than before the next morning, preparing to leave. He was demolishing the traces they had left from their stay, making sure that there was no possible way they could be tracked down. Sakura awoke to the silent shuffling of his packing up, and stretched. Her head seemed to be aching and full, and she yawned.

"Good morning Sasuke-kun," She said after her yawn.

"Good morning Sakura. Are you feeling okay?" He asked.

Sakura stared at him, wondering how he knew that she was feeling a bit dizzy.

"Uh...my head is just aching like it's been refilled with my memories. Funny. I could have sworn I lost my memories for a while and just regained my consciousness during that nice sleep..." She said.

Sasuke chuckled, and stood up.

"You did."

Sakura blushed, and began to laugh, trying to hide her embarrassment.

"Oh."

Getting up and stretching to get herself warm, she smiled contently as she felt her muscles loosen.

"Mmm. I'm so out of shape. Hrmph. You could have a least trained my fragile self, Sasuke-kun," She said, cutely pouting.

Sasuke smirked, and shrugged helplessly.

"Couldn't take the chances of injuring you further."

Sakura nodded in understanding, and began jumping up and down to warm up her legs.

"Hm. I have to say that Mangekyou Sharingan is one deadly technique," She said.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, and a frown graced his lips.

"I'm sorry."

Sakura looked at him, and smiled. She shook her head.

"It's not your fault. Love makes you do crazy things," She said.

Sasuke faintly blushed, and he immediately looked away. Sakura snickered, and lightly punched him.

"You can't hide that forever."

Sasuke smirked.

"And by the way...Sasuke-kun, I hope that you will never acquire that technique. I mean, I'd be happy for you and all, but that'd mean killing, right?" Sakura asked.

Sasuke silently nodded.

"Don't worry, I'd never go that far."

Sakura smiled, content with her life. Walking up next to him, she hugged him; missing the warmth she felt when she did so. Even _if_ she was technically still living, she wasn't completely conscious, and her shy and naïve replacement didn't want to make a move. Sasuke returned the embrace, looking down into her now fully vibrant emerald orbs. Smiling, he captured her lips, Sakura returning the kiss, and the both of them content with everything. Finally breaking away for breath, Sakura smirked.

"Hmph. I missed that warmth for so long," She whispered.

She cuddled closer to him.

-:-

The two set off back to Konoha around noon. Boosting their speed by focusing chakra to their feet, they would be able to make it to Konoha during the late night. They were both happy that they would finally be heading home. Jumping from tree to tree became a bit tiring for Sakura due to her inactive training, but she sucked up the pain and continued on. Sasuke smiled at this, loving how her pride would not allow her to complain and ask him to take a quick break.

"Sakura," Sasuke said, after they were a few hours away from Konoha.

Sakura stopped to look at him, panting heavily and sweating.

"Yeah?" She asked.

"Let's take a quick rest," He said.

Sakura stared at him, her mouth gaping wide, surprised that he would EVER suggest to stop.

"Are you sure? I'm fine."

He nodded.

"You'll collapse if you don't take a quick rest."

Sakura nodded gratefully, and sat down, stretching her legs and taking a few gulps of water. After ten minutes, she was recovered, and they continued their journey back to Konoha.

It was around eleven o'clock at night when they arrived at the gates. They were halted by the ANBU, and were given orders to report to the Hokage's office as soon as possible. They obliged, and soon they were sitting behind the desk of Tsunade, waiting for her judgment.

"Wow, Sakura. You actually brought him back!" Tsunade exclaimed.

Sakura smiled, and Sasuke remained silent. It was different for him to be back in Konoha. It's been so long since he's seen its entire people, all its ninja, and all of the ramen Naruto devoured.

"Hn. Seeing as you were brought back, I take it you took your vengeance?" Tsunade asked, addressing Sasuke.

Sasuke nodded.

"Yes, Hokage-sama. Orochimaru and Itachi are dead," He said.

Tsunade nodded, thinking of what to do with him.

"I take it you have no reason to betray our village again, correct?" She asked.

"Correct."

"Then, you will be put under a three month probation. A few ANBU squads will watch every moment of your life. You will perform one thousand hours of community service, but doing D-rank missions can complete this. I will allow you to become a ninja again, but you will have to retake your Chuunin Exams. Is everything fine?"

Sasuke nodded. He was let off easy, and he knew it.

"Good. You're welcome to go back to the Uchiha manor. It's been untouched since you left. You might just have to do some cleaning up to do. Also, Sakura has been paying your apartment's lease, so if you choose, you can remain to live there, and just resell it if you wish to move back to your family's home. Dismissed."

Sakura and Sasuke bowed before exiting the Hokage tower.

"You were let off easy! Isn't that great?" Sakura asked, hugging Sasuke.

Sasuke smirked.

"I suppose."

"I'll take you to your apartment."

Sasuke nodded. As the two wandered down the streets, they passed by the Ichiraku, and were stopped by a gathering of Ino, Shikamaru, Naruto, Hinata, Tenten, Neji, Lee, Gai, and Kakashi. All nine of them sensed the familiar chakra, and turned around. Their eyes widened.

"Sakura! Sasuke!" All yelled.

Before joining them, Sakura held out her hand for Sasuke to take.

"Welcome home, Sasuke-kun," She said, smiling.

Sasuke looked at her, and returned her smile, and took her hand.

"Thank you."

-:-


End file.
